The Quest of Shadows: Dark Clouds
by Stormshadow10
Summary: Wolfkit is a young kit with high hopes that suffers from a terrible injury. Stormkit is a young kit who is abused by her mother and is taunted by a troubled soul. Together, these two siblings try and work their way through the chaos in ThunderClan when they discover through a special dream that there's something they need to do: the whole clans depend on it.
1. Prologue

The Quest of Shadows

Dark Clouds

Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader ~ Sunstar - long-furred golden tabby tom with green eyes

Deputy ~ Sprucebranch - pale brown tabby she-cat and frost blue eyes

Medicine Cat ~ Maplebreeze- caramel brown she-cat with white dots over her green eyes

Warriors ~

Goldenberry - golden tabby tom with white splotches and green eyes

Talonclaw - muscular dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Sharpwhisker - slender, pale ginger she-cat with one blue eye and one amber eye

Halftail - scarred brown tabby tom with a stumpy tail **(Apprentice, Bluepaw)**

Losteye - ginger and cream she-cat with a missing eye **(Apprentice, Rainpaw)**

Cinderbird - dark gray she-cat with lighter flecks and green eyes

Dustcloud - golden and ginger tom with green eyes

Cloudheart - white tom with green eyes

Fawndapple - fawn colored she-cat with cream dapples and green eyes

Redflame - dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes **(Apprentice, Bramblepaw)**

Roseheart - calico she-cat with blue eyes **(Apprentice, Stonepaw)**

Silverstripe - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Frostwillow - pale gray she-cat with blue eyes, guards and manages the prey pile

Sleekfur - golden she-cat with lighter markings and blue eyes

Shimmersplash - silvery she-cat with blue eyes

Mouseclaw - gray tom with yellow eyes

Apprentices

Bramblepaw - dark brown tom with yellow eyes

Rainpaw - gray tabby she-cat with white splotches and pale blue eyes

Bluepaw - brown tabby tom with striking blue eyes

Stonepaw - dark gray tom with white splotches and amber eyes

Queens

Dapplefeather - calico she-cat with green eyes, mother to Stormkit (Black she-kit with violet blue eyes), Wolfkit (long-furred dark gray tom with amber eyes), and Willowkit (calico she-kit with blue eyes)

Mintsplash - gray she-cat with lighter splashes and green eyes, mother to Cloudheart's kits, Ivykit (calico she-kit with green eyes) and Oakkit (dark brown tom with green eyes)

Lilypool - white and cream she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Hollykit (dark brown she-kit with yellow eyes)

Shinefur - golden tabby she-cat with a white paw with green eyes, mother to Redflame's kits, Wrenkit (brown tabby she-kit with green eyes), Darkkit (white tom with gray markings and sky blue eyes), Ashkit (dark gray tom with amber eyes)

Elders-

Gemheart - gray dappled she-cat with black stripes and blue eyes, former kittypet

Amberfeather - pale ginger she-cat with a white chest with green eyes

Nightwhisper - black tom with white splotches and yellow eyes

ShadowClan

Leader ~ Ratstar - muscular scarred dark gray tom with amber eyes

Deputy ~ Crookedwhisker - pale yellow tabby she-cat with bent whiskers and green eyes

Medicine cat ~ Smalltail - black-and-white tom with a stubby tail **(Apprentice, Daisypaw)**

Warriors

Slateclaw - dark gray tom with light gray flecks and amber eyes

Tawnyfoot - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with one green eye and one blue eye

Cloudtooth - pale gray tom with darker stripes and blue eyes

Foxfeather - dark red she-cat with green eyes **(Apprentice, Raggedpaw)**

Amberfall - ginger and russet she-cat with amber eyes

Mossfire - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Snowpetal - white she-cat with blue eyes

Jaystreak - gray tabby tom with dark blue eyes **(Apprentice, Sleetpaw)**

Shrewfur - dark brown tom with amber eyes **(Apprentice, Blossompaw)**

Sparkfire - pale ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes

Brightmist - ginger and cream she-cat with green eyes

Nettlevine - brown tabby tom with cream markings and yellow eyes

Bluenight - blue-gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Featherstream - sleek-furred silver she-cat with green eyes

Firefoot - ginger tom with a white belly and tail tip, paws are slightly darker colored, green eyes

Apprentices

Sleetpaw - pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Blossompaw - dark brown and white she-cat with blue eyes

Raggedpaw - dark brown tom with amber flecks and a white underbelly and paws with green eyes

Daisypaw - pale brown she-cat with darker flecks and orange eyes

Queens

Icebreeze - white she-cat with orange eyes, mother to Shrewfur's kits, Pebblekit (pale gray she-kit with amber eyes) and Eaglekit (brown and white tom with amber eyes)

Tanglefur - long-furred ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother to Slateclaw's kits, Creamkit (cream she-kit with green eyes), and Thornkit (golden tabby tom with amber eyes)

Elders-

Dustsong - ginger tabby she-cat with blind green eyes

Flintwhisker - gray tom with lighter flecks and amber eyes

WindClan

Leader ~ Lightstar - pale ginger tabby tom with a white paw and amber eyes

Deputy ~ Palethistle - pale cream tabby she-cat with green eyes

Medicine cat ~ Bristleleaf - white and brown she-cat with amber eyes **(Apprentice, Poppybreeze)**

Warriors

Amberbreeze - ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Icefern - silvery white she-cat with blue eyes

Foxwind - dark ginger tom with yellow eyes

Lynxpelt - long-furred gray tabby tom with yellow eyes **(Apprentice, Harepaw)**

Wolfpelt - shaggy black tom with gray splotches and amber eyes

Russetdawn- dark russet she-cat with yellow eyes

Bumblelight - pale brown tabby tom with green eyes

Wishfrost - silver and white she-cat with blue eyes **(Apprentice, Tallpaw)**

Firespots - golden tom with ginger spots and amber eyes

Blackpoppy - black she-cat with a white muzzle, underbelly, and tailtip with blue eyes

Branchflame - brown tom with ginger splotches and green eyes

Breezewhisker- dark brown tabby tom with orange eyes **(Apprentice, Sandpaw)**

Rainstrike - brown tabby she-cat with cream splotches and blue eyes **(Apprentice, Swiftpaw)**

Hawkswoop - brown tabby tom with green eyes

Apprentices

Poppybreeze - brown, ginger, and cream dappled she-cat with amber eyes

Sandpaw - white tom with ginger paws and ears with amber eyes

Tallpaw - Tuxedo tom with big ears and blue eyes

Swiftpaw - light ginger tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws with green eyes

Harepaw - quick, light brown she-cat with bright yellow eyes

Queens-

Fernstone - pale gray she-cat with darker flecks and blue eyes, mother to Wolfpelt's kits, Stonekit (gray and black tom with blue eyes), Featherkit (cream she-kit with amber eyes), and kestrelkit (brown tabby tom with amber eyes)

Elders-

Hollowbranch - dark brown tabby tom with hazel eyes

Gorseberry - prickly furred cream tabby she-cat with blind blue eyes

RiverClan

Leader ~ Clearstar - blue gray she-cat with ice blue eyes

Deputy ~ Coldfur - black and white tom with green eyes

Medicine cat ~ Ripplestone - Tuxedo tom with amber eyes **(Apprentice, Antpaw)**

Warriors

Thornleaf - sleek-furred ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Scarletflower - ginger tabby she-cat and green eyes, former kittypet

Brindlethorn - pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Rowancloud - brown tom with green eyes and a scarred leg **(Apprentice, Eaglepaw)**

Blazepounce - ginger tom with a russet stripe down the back with yellow eyes

Reedstripe - black tom with white splotches and green eyes

Leopardwhisker - golden she-cat with darker spots with amber eyes **(Apprentice, Loudpaw)**

Hazelnose - brown tabby tom with a lighter muzzle and orange eyes

Fishleap - silver and gray tom with blue eyes

Hailheart - gray tabby tom with a white paw and orange eyes

Lilystream - silver and white she-cat with yellow eyes **(Apprentice, Waterpaw)**

Ebonynose - black she-cat with a white face and yellow eyes

Pebblesplash- white tom with ginger splotches and yellow eyes

Darkwater - dark gray tom with a white belly and blue eyes

Streamfeather - White, long-furred tom with gray tabby patches and green eyes

Apprentices

Eaglepaw - brown and white tom with yellow eyes

Loudpaw - ginger tom with darker patches with yellow eyes

Waterpaw - dark gray tom with blue eyes

Antpaw - dark brown tom with ginger markings and green eyes

Queens

Streamtail- cream she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Coldfur's kits, Owlkit (tawny tom with green eyes), Grasskit (gray tom with green eyes), and Silverkit (white she-cat with a silver paw with blue eyes)

Flowerwisp - silvery white she-cat with green eyes, mother to Skykit (white tom with orange eyes) and Littlekit (small ginger and cream she-kit with green eyes)

Elders

Sprucefrost - dark brown tom with darker flecks and green eyes

Yarrowstem - brown and yellow she-cat with hazel eyes

 **Prologue**

Darkness. The peaceful, quiet, darkness loomed not ominously, but rather like a thick blanket, protecting all the plants and animals sleeping in its wake.

Suddenly, a flash of light sped by. An animal that emitted out a faint glow, as if made by the stars themselves, ran as fast as it could, yet it's chest wasn't heaving and it showed no sign of being tired. It carried four small objects in its mouth.

The light animal suddenly veered off to the side, disappearing among the thick undergrowth. He emerged on the other side to see several star animals like himself sitting around a gleaming, rippling pool. It slowed down, making it very evident that they all were cats.

"Ripplepool," meowed a voice. The cat in the center of all the group called out to him. "I was beginning to think you had forgotten."

"Not for the world, Skystar," Ripplepool replied through the objects in his mouth. He had a sleek, muscular frame with red patches on his fur that glowed like embers. The cat set down the objects. Four smooth stones gleamed, even though no light passed through the branches of the forest.

"I am glad to see you have brought them," Skystar meowed, flicking his bushy tail from side to side. Ripplepool nodded.

"It took a while to retrieve them," he grunted. "I hope you're grateful."

"Of course," Skystar replied briskly.

"When you two are done talking it up," said an irritable voice from the crowd of cats, "I'd like to know what the rocks are for." Ripplepool dipped his head, then disappeared into the crowd.

"A good question, Sweetmeadow," Skystar mewed cooly. A wiry brown she-cat with glowing greenish yellow eyes swished her tail impatiently. "I believe," meowed Skystar, raising his voice, "that we all know about Sunstar." There were solemn nods and sad meows. Skystar continued. "In order to restore faith in StarClan, four cats must make a noble sacrifice." Murmurs broke out among the group.

"What kind of sacrifice?" asked a deep voice that came from a gray tabby tom.

Skystar nodded towards to stones Ripplepool had brought. Even in the darkness, they managed to gleam. "These are stones Ripplepool has generously brought to us," he said solemnly. "Four cats must harness all their energy into these stones. Or, in other words, four cats must _become_ the stones."

There were fast, suspicious murmurs from the crowd of cats. " _What will happen?" "How does this work?" "How will we_ become _the stones?"_

Skystar flicked his tail, and the cats quieted. "I know what you are wondering," he mewed. "What will happen to you when you become the stone? Sadly," he continued, "you can never return to StarClan once you become it. And if the stone is destroyed, the cat will forever cease to exist." The murmurs resumed, but much more quick and panicked than last time. There was no denying it: four cats had to go.

"Skystar," Sweetmeadow meowed once again, "we have already sacrificed our lives for our Clans. Do you expect us to sacrifice ourselves again? Why?" She looked expectantly at the leader.

"Yes, Sweetmeadow, I do. And for the answer to your second question," he said, flicking his tail, "I was just about to get to that. Sunstar, as some of you know, has done many things. Things such as killing others who opposed him when he was just a young cat, hardly an apprentice. Cats much larger, and more skilled than him. No one could be able to accomplish this feat, unless they had outside help."

Almost every cat in the group pricked their ears forward at once, listening closely, their eyes wide in anticipation. Skystar continued. "I have reason to believe that Sunstar has had a taste of the power of the Dark Forest. No cat will be able to stop him if he has this kind of power. If we cannot stop him, the Clans will turn their backs on StarClan.

"With these stones, any worthy cat who can access them will be able to have power equal to that of Sunstar's. The power of _StarClan._ " He paused, took a deep breath, then spoke again.

"A cat from each Clan will be sacrificed. The cat chosen will have the liberty of choosing a cat currently living to gain access to the powers the stone provides. Choose wisely," Skystar finished, swishing his tail over the stones. One was dark as shadows, another gray as stormclouds, the third one blue as a river, and the final one yellow as moor grass. The cats shifted and murmured, kneading the ground with their paws. Finally, a voice spoke up. "I will-"

"No, _NO!_ _Clearwing, don't do it!"_ A gray and silver splotched tom slowly padded forth, followed by a frantic-looking blue-gray she-cat. "I've already lost you once, Clearwing! You _can't_ leave me again!" she shrieked.

"Calm down, Featherpool," said the tom, trying to conceal the pain edging his calm tone. "This is for our kits."

"I know," said Featherpool, her voice strained with grief, "but what about me? I came to StarClan thinking we'd be together for the rest of time!" Her blue eyes flooded with tears. "How could you leave me again?"

"Don't worry," said Clearwing softly. "It's better this way." He touched his nose to Featherpool's then without another word, padded towards the stone. He looked Skystar straight in the eye.

"I choose Pebblesplash," he meowed calmly. "He is a just and noble warrior. I believe in him."

"A wise choice, Clearwing," replied Skystar. "I would expect nothing less of you." Clearwing dipped his head respectively, then padded over to the blue stone. He closed his eyes and touched his nose to the smooth surface. There was a flash of light, and he was gone. In the glowing pool, a white face with ginger patches shone in the surface of the water.

"This stone," said Skystar, brushing his tail over the now slightly glowing blue rock, "will be named the Clear Stone." Featherpool let out a mournful wail. A cream she-cat padded forward and draped her tail over her shoulders.

Suddenly, heads turned. A long-furred tortoiseshell she-cat with a flat face padded forward.

"Marshflower," meowed Skystar. "I wouldn't think-"

"Yeah, yeah," she growled, brushing Skystar aside. "I know the drill. I pick Firefoot." There were murmurs coming from the crowd.

"Firefoot?" called one cat. "The kittypet?" There were quiet laughs from the crowd.  
"No," responded Marshflower, rolling her eyes, "Firefoot the mouse. Yes, I mean Firefoot the kittypet," she spat. The cats went silent, knowing she was serious about her decision. Marshflower padded over to the dark colored stone and pressed her nose to it. There was another flash of light, and the grumpy she-cat was gone.

Replacing the ginger and white tom in the pool, another tom appeared. This tom was a fiery ginger color with white paws and tail-tip. His paws were slightly darker than his fur. This cat looked nervous and skittish; quite different from Pebblesplash's dauntless and brave face.

"This stone," murmured Skystar, "will be called the Marsh Stone."

"Strange cat, isn't she, that Marshflower?" Heads turned to see a pale ginger tabby tom. Sweetmeadow flicked an ear.

"You're a fool, Moorblaze." she meowed bitterly. "You are risking you happy life in StarClan for an unfounded guess that Sunstar is getting outside help."

"I am aware of what I am doing, sister," he replied curtly. "And as you will remember from our training together as apprentices, I do enjoy taking risks." Moorblaze walked forward, and nodded towards Skystar.

"I think," he meowed, "I will choose Harepaw." He then padded forward to the stone with the color of moor grass. He too touched his nose to it. With a flash of light, he was gone. In the pool, the ginger tom vanished, replaced by a slender, light brown she cat running across the moor.

"This stone," Skystar meowed, "will be called-"

"The Moor Stone, I assume?" A very small cat, hardly older than one moon, stepped forward. Her dusty brown tabby fur was still mostly fluff, but her green eyes danced with wisdom.

"Rosekit," said Skystar. "You would like to do this, even though your mother is on Sunstar's side?"  
"I would like to, Skystar," she confirmed, "to make up for my mother's mistakes." She padded forward.

"I would like to pick Wolfkit," she decided. There were gasps and mutters.

"A kit?" asked Skystar. "Rosekit, are you sure that we should weigh down a young kit with such a burden?"  
"I sense great things from him, Skystar," she mewed quietly. "I have made up my mind."

She touched her nose to the stone the color of thunderclouds, then was gone in a spiral of blinding light. There was silence for a moment.

"I shall hide the Clear, Moor, Marsh, and Rose stones in far corners of the world," meowed Skystar, breaking the quiet, "so Sunstar cannot reach them."  
Meanwhile, in the pool, an image of a small, long-furred, gray kit rippled in the clear water, sleeping soundly.

 **Chapter 1**

"Come on, Stormkit!" Stormkit blinked her violet blue eyes open to see her brother, Wolfkit's, nose touching hers. His wide amber eyes were gleaming with excitement. Next to him was Willowkit, sleeping deeply. "Mama said we could go out and play," he squeaked. "C'mon, let's go!" Hardly waiting for his sibling, Wolfkit dashed for the exit of the nursery before Dapplefeather stepped in front of him.

"Calm down, Wolfkit," she snapped. The thick bramble walls of the nursery glowed as the watery greenleaf morning light flooded in. Stormkit stretched her pale gray feet and rolled over onto her paws, squinting as the morning light hit her face. She shook scraps of moss from her nest out of her fur. Wolfkit was already up, abandoning Dapplefeather and moving on to Shinefur's new kits, who had just barely opened their eyes.

"What are their names?" Wolfkit squeaked. Stormkit's brother asked the golden queen every day, and he knew the answer by heart, but he asked anyway.

"The little she-cat is Wrenkit," Shinefur calmly replied, resting her tail on the brown speckled kit. "The gray tom is Ashkit," she lay her tail on the pale gray tomkit. "As for this one," she rested her tail on the white tom with gray markings, "Darkkit." The kits squirmed against their mother's belly, making little mews.

"Wolfkit!" Dapplefeather hissed, her tail flicking. "Stop bothering Shinefur! You'll wake Willowkit with all that racket!" Willowkit, her sister, slept soundly as a stone, curled up in the moss of the nest. Stormkit wondered how her sister managed to sleep so soundly. Sometimes, she even slept until the sun was in the middle of the sky! She was never punished, though. She never got punished.

"But, Mama!" Wolfkit paced around eagerly.

"Dapplefeather, let them go out," Shinefur said softly. "Kits need to have their fun."

Dapplefeather dropped her head, muttering something, then said, "All right, you can go out." She flicked her tail, annoyed. Wolfkit let out a squeal of joy and raced outside. Stormkit cast one last glance at her sleeping sibling, then hurried after her brother. The sun had just risen above the camp, bathing it in early morning light. Sprucebranch, ThunderClan's deputy, was sitting on Highrock, her tail tucked neatly over her paws, her narrowed eyes scanning the camp. Sleekfur and Shimmersplash, two siblings who had just became warriors the past moon, were whispering to each other, casting glances at Mouseclaw, who was sunning himself on a rock.

"C'mon, Stormkit!" Wolfkit squeaked. "The morning patrol is back!" Sure enough, Redflame, Bramblepaw, and Cloudheart came walking in, pushing through the gap in the thicketed camp walls. Sprucebranch's gaze darkened.

"Where is Sharpwhisker?" she demanded.

"There was a hawk, Sprucebranch," Redflame mewed. "Sharpwhisker stayed behind to investigate. Losteye did the same."

"I did not ask you about the whereabouts of Losteye," she replied coldly. "No matter, though. Why did you not stay behind and do the same?"  
"We-"

"Too cowardly to do so?" she taunted. Stormkit twitched her ear nervously. That was how Sprucebranch always acted, but somehow the little gray kit felt that wasn't the best thing to say. Angered, Cloudheart pinned his ear ears back.

"You didn't let him finish," he said sharply, holding back his fury. "We wanted to come back and report it to Sunstar."

"It's only a harmless bird," the deputy replied, bored. "Why would you need to tell?"  
The white tom bristled. "These 'harmless birds' you speak of could capture and even _kill_ some of our Clan's kits and apprentices." Sprucebranch opened her mouth to say something, then closed it and smiled curtly.

"Fine. I'm sure Losteye and Sharpwhisker will take care of it. You are dismissed." She flicked her tail. Redflame dipped his head respectfully, but Stormkit could see the annoyance in his eyes as he walked away, Bramblepaw at his heels. Cloudheart stalked off angrily, muttering to himself. Stormkit shuddered, wondering why Sprucebranch was so harsh. The Clans used to be peaceful and kind, or so Amberfeather said.

Amberfeather used to tell stories about times where leaders were fair, and loyal to their Clan and didn't act like they were any better than a common warrior! The leaders in her stories were kind and just and fair, and often came out of their dens and went on patrols! The leader she talked about most was Skystar, her old mate.

"He was the kindest, fairest leader of all," she purred. These were, though, only stories. These leaders couldn't have existed. If they did, then what happened? Why were leaders so mean now?

Sunstar had found out about the stories and forbade Amberfeather to ever tell them again. Stormkit yearned for more tales, but if she got caught, the punishment could mean exile, or even worse, public execution, something Sunstar took pleasure in witnessing.

"Didja hear that?" Wolfkit's soft whispers broke Stormkit's train of thought. "A big bird! If we chased that off, Sunstar would have no choice but to make us into apprentices early!"

"Erm, I dunno," Stormkit mewed hesitantly. She had heard that birds like that could carry off kits like her, eating them.

"C'mon, Stormkit!" he squeaked excitedly. "What've you got to lose?" _My life,_ she wanted to say, but she held her tongue. The way her brother's amber eyes sparkled, she knew this meant a lot to him. Stormkit sighed softly.

"Okay," she said reluctantly, 'but we should take Willowkit." Wolfkit groaned.

"No, not Willowkit!" he groaned. "We'd never be able to sneak her past Dapplefeather!"

"We can," she said," if we're careful about it. Dapplefeather will never notice. We need to take her with us. She's our sister."

Wolfkit sighed, and swished his tail impatiently. "Fine." The two siblings padded into the nursery, where Ivykit and Oakkit were playing with Hollykit. The moment Ivykit saw the two, she abandoned the game and scrambled over to them. Stormkit smiled affectionately at the little bundle of fur as she craned her head to look up at them. Wolfkit, however, looked annoyed.

"Want to play with us?" Ivykit squeaked, her green eyes practically begging the two siblings to say yes.

"No," Wolfkit said blandly. "You're too little. We're going to play big-kit games."

"I am _not_ little!" Ivykit said defiantly. "I'm two moons old!" Stormkit sighed. The little she-kit was so stubborn. She would have to take matters into her own paws.

"Wolfkit and I were going to see the elders," she explained patiently. "We wanted Willowkit to see if wanted to come with us."

"Oh." Ivykit made a face. She didn't really like the elders, finding them to be slow and impatient. "I'm going to play with Oakkit and Hollykit, then." She scampered off. Wolfkit smirked.

"Nice work," he whispered. Stormkit smiled guiltily. She still wasn't so keen about sneaking out of camp, but she didn't protest. They padded over to Willowkit, who was sleeping on her side, her paws tucked under her head as her tail twitched in her sleep. Her calico fur was blotted with bits of moss. Stormkit nosed her sister under the chin.

"Psst! Willowkit! Wake up!" Willowkit yawned as her eyelids slid open, revealing her pretty sky-blue eyes. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light.

"What is it?" she asked sleepily, licking the moss scraps out of her fur.

"Want to go on an adventure?" Wolfkit asked. "We're going to catch a hawk so Sunstar can make us apprentices early!" Willowkit was out of her nest in an instant.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!" she squeaked, darting for the nursery entrance, followed by Stormkit and Wolfkit, when they ran into a wall of calico fur.

"Now just where do you think _you're_ going?" Dapplefeather sneered, more at Stormkit and Wolfkit than at Willowkit. Willowkit gulped, and Stormkit looked at her paws. They were never going to get past Dapplefeather. Luckily, Wolfkit rescued them.

"We're going to see the elders," he said earnestly. "Amberfeather has a new story to tell us." Dapplefeather narrowed her green eyes. "Why did you have to wake Willowkit, then?"

"Because. . . because. . ." Wolfkit fumbled for an answer.

"Because we didn't want her to feel left out," Stormkit jumped in. She prayed to StarClan that Dapplefeather wouldn't see through the lie.

"Well, good," Dapplefeather snapped. "You should always take Willowkit with you, no matter what!" Her gaze softened as she licked her daughter on the head. "I can't have my precious baby feeling left out," she cooed. Wolfkit made a face. Stormkit could see he was annoyed that Dapplefeather paid so much more attention to Willowkit than her other two kits.

As the calico queen padded back into the nursery, Stormkit let out a sigh of relief.

"That was close!" she said.

" _Too_ close," Wolfkit muttered. The three kits ducked behind the elders den, then hurried into the dirt-place tunnel.

"Yuck," Willowkit said, her tail swishing in annoyance. "It stinks out here!" The trio scampered into the forest, where the smells of dung were replaced with fresh scents of dew and leaves and earth. Stormkit giggled as a plunk of morning dew landed on Wolfkit's head. Wolfkit scowled playfully.

"I never knew the territory was so _big!"_ Willowkit said in awe. She stepped over a leaf that was almost as large as her. "It's so beautiful out here!"

They wandered around a bit more, pretending they were catching invisible prey or enemy warriors sneaking through the undergrowth. As they played in a sandy clearing, suddenly, a shadow of a large bird hovered over them, circling the trio.

"It's the hawk!" Wolfkit announced, craning his head to look up at the sky.. "Look how small it is!" he laughed. "Let's catch it!" The long-furred gray kit got into a sloppy hunting crouch, his amber eyes screwed up in concentration.

"Come get me hawk!" he taunted. "I'm gonna catch you and you'll be nothing but prey!" If the hawk took any offense, it didn't show, but it dove down at the kits, it's piercing yellow stare fixed on them. Stormkit screamed in terror and darted out of the way. Wolfkit yelled, realizing how big the bird really was and tried to run, but tripped on his paws. As for Willowkit, she stood stock still in terror, her blue eyes glazed over in fear. The hawk let out an ear-piercing screech that turned Stormkit's limbs into sticks of numbness. She couldn't move. She could only watch the scene in front of her eyes slowly replay again and again in her mind.

The hawk had dived down and tried to latch onto both Willowkit and Wolfkit, but the two kits were too much weight for it to carry. It could only lift a few feet off the ground before Wolfkit slid from its talons, blood splattering the sand. He moaned in pain, clutching his eye, but the only thing Stormkit could see was Willowkit locked in the bird's grasp, her paws flailing, screaming and crying. " _Stormkit! Wolfkit!"_ she screeched. " _Help me!"_

Stormkit felt her throat closing. Her stomach clenched, tears rolled down her face. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't see. Everything was a blur. She could hear more screaming and crying, mixed in with yelling, before everything darkened and she fell into a dark abyss.

 **Chapter 2**

Wolfkit moaned softly. The racking pain in his eye, the blurred colors, the darkness. . . He could hear words, ugly words, then a soft, soothing voice that made him relax. It felt. . . familiar. The smell of the cat was familiar too. It was like honeysuckle mixed with new-leaf wind. It made him feel safe. He squirmed in the moss nest and sank into a comfortable sleep.

Then the dreams came.

A dazzling, silky-furred she-cat with piercing blue eyes sat on a rock in a dark, dank forest. Her fluffy, silvery tail was wrapped neatly around her paws. Her eyes reminded Wolfkit of the time Amberfeather told him about snow. It was cold, crystally, and shined bitterly.

"Poor, poor, Wolfkit," she purred. "Scarred for life." Her voice was so calm and gentle, but with a touch of emotion. Wolfkit cocked his head, puzzled, before light shattered and a gust of wind swept the darkness away. Wolfkit squinted his eyes, peering through the light. He saw the faint outline of a grayish white tom. His blue eyes glimmered with sympathy. Wolfkit couldn't help but notice that his ear was torn; a trait Amberfeather often used to describe her deceased mate, Skystar.

"Find the stone, young Wolfkit," the cat rumbled, his voice wrapping around Wolfkit as if it were protecting him. "It is the only way to save what you love."

Wolfkit gasped as pain blinded him. He caught brief glimpses that he didn't understand: Dapplefeather standing over a brown and white she-cat with her throat torn, blood spilling from the wound. The same brown and white she-cat nuzzling a gray and black tom. Willowkit screaming, dangling from the hawk's talons.

"NOOOOOOO!" The moment Wolfkit's eyes shot open, he felt a searing pain, red-hot, in one of them.

"Close your eyes, young one." The voice was gentle and kind, and the scent was familiar, but these things did not soothe the pain as it did with the beautiful she-cat from his dream.

"What will happen to him?" asked a weak voice from behind him.

"It's not infected, luckily," the gentle voice meowed. "But the hawk scratched his eye. He won't be able to see out of it ever again."

"You mean he'll be blind?" Wolfkit recognized his sister's voice. "He won't be able to see?"

"He will," the voice said reassuringly. "Just not out of one eye."

"This is all my fault!" Stormkit wailed. "I should've stopped him from going out of camp. Then, Willowkit wouldn't be. . ." Her voice trailed off as a wave of sobs spilled from her mouth.

"Shh," the voice whispered. "It's all right."

Wolfkit tried to speak, to comfort his sister, to do _anything._ But the words were stuck in his throat. He curled up into a tight ball, tears forming at the corner of his eyes.

"Dear, are you sure you got those wounds from a hawk?"

There was a pause. "Y-yes," said Stormkit shakily. "Of course. What else?"

 _That's strange,_ thought Wolfkit. _I don't remember Stormkit getting hurt. But then,_ he thought sadly, _there's probably a lot of things I don't remember._

"Are you sure, Stormkit?" the gentle voice asked once more. "I don't think a hawk could've done this."

"I-I'm sure," she repeated with the same shakiness.

The next several days were the same. Stormkit had recovered and was able to leave, but she stayed by Wolfkit's side everyday. The pain in the gray tom's eye faded, and he was able to open his eyes and walk around. He seemed fully recovered, but the medicine cat, whom Wolfkit learned was named Maplebreeze, wanted to keep him in her care just in case.

It was a lovely green-leaf day, but Wolfkit was getting antsy. He'd tried to persuade Maplebreeze to let him see his reflection, but she wouldn't budge. Maybe he'd get more out of his sister.

"What do I look like?" Wolfkit asked as they sat at the entrance of the den, taking in the sights of the camp. Stormkit winced, her violet eyes darting around violently. She swiftly tried to change the subject.

"Want to play moss-ball?" she asked. "You try to score it-"

"What do I look like?" Wolfkit repeated. "Everytime someone comes in and sees me, they look away. Don't lie to me, Stormkit."

Stormkit hesitated, then sighed. "Fine." She led him to a pool of water in the back of the den. Wolfkit peered at the reflection in the rippling puddle. What he saw almost made him regret looking.

 _No,_ he thought in horror. _This can't be me._

His left eye had been replaced by a long, jagged line of pink and white tissue. The scar went from the top of where his eye had been to the tip of his nose. He covered his face with his paws and wailed.

"Wolfkit," Stormkit said softly. "It's okay." She wrapped her tail around his shoulders. "You'll always be my brother, no matter what you look like." She gave him a comforting smile.

"Thanks, Stormkit," he sniffled. He turned away from the pool. "Let's go back to the nursery."

When the two siblings returned to the bramble den, they were met with gasps of shock and murmurs.

"What are you doing in here?!" Dapplefeather screeched. "Get out, _murderers!"_

"Dapplefeather, please!" Mintsplash protested. "It's not their-"

"Of course it's their fault!" Dapplefeather retorted bitterly. "If it weren't for them, Willowkit would still be alive!" Her voice cracked with sorrow.

"But they are your kits as well," Shinefur said softly. "You have to take care of them." Dapplefeather glared at the young queen.

"I suppose that if Wrenkit was killed because of Ashkit and Darkkit, you'd still love them," she replied scornfully. "These are not my kits. They never _have_ been." Mintsplash and Shinefur looked appalled at Dapplefeather's response. "I will be returning to the warriors' den tonight," she continued. "And that's final!" Casting a final loathing glare at her two disowned kits, the calico queen stormed out of the nursery.

Mintsplash padded over the two frightened kits and wrapped her thick, fluffy tail around them.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, her pale green eyes sympathetic. "If you want, you can share Ivykit and Oakkit's nest."

"No," said Stormkit softly, trembling. "I'm fine."

 _Why is Stormkit acting so scared?_ thought Wolfkit. _Dapplefeather never hurt anyone._

Mintsplash pulled Stormkit's small, trembling body closer to hers and licked her gently on the head, as if the kit were a delicate flower whose petals would fall off if she wasn't careful.

That night, Wolfkit slept comfortably in the nursery, pressed up against Ivykit and Oakkit's sleeping bodies as his sister slept alone. Everything seemed okay. But when he closed his eyes, the dreams came again.

 **Chapter 4**

Stormkit looked, shaking all over, at her brother's limp form. _What just happened?_ she thought. He couldn't be dead. . . could he? She couldn't have lost both of her siblings in the same day?

Stormkit heard her brother's uneven, ragged breathing and relief washed all over her. _He's not dead,_ she thought. _But he needs help,_ she thought. She stumbled out of the clearing and into the thick undergrowth, swatting at the branches and vines that seemed to spring up from out of nowhere. She burst into a run, determined to get back to camp, before realizing she was lost. The whole terrain was different to her. Where was she? Stormkit lifted her nose to the air, but all she could smell were her tears.

Suddenly, she felt a presence around her.

" _Don't fret, little one,"_ it whispered. Stormkit felt her fear erase and a calm, soothing feeling overtook her. But that feeling quickly disappeared when Dapplefeather, Sprucebranch, and Crowclaw burst through the bushes, their fur bristling.

"Stormkit!" Dapplefeather gasped. "Where's Willowkit and your brother?"

"G-gone," was all she managed to whisper. She couldn't comprehend what had just happened. She felt herself start shaking violently.

"Gone?" spat Dapplefeather, fur beginning to bristle. "What do you mean gone?"

"Wolfkit - he's alive," she said softly. "He's. . . hurt."

"And Willowkit?" she pushed, her eyes wild.

"G-gone," Stormkit repeated, her voice scarcely above a whisper. "She was taken by the hawk."

Dapplefeather's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed down into icy green slits.

"And you mean to tell me," she hissed, her voice dangerously soft, "that you lead my daughter into danger, and now she's dead?" Stormkit nodded, hearing her blood pumping through her ears.

Dapplefeather let out a screech of fury, and before she knew what was going on, the little kit felt a painful blow on her cheek, and another blow on her shoulder. Dapplefeather was clawing at her, screeching and hissing in fury. "You murderer!" she yowled. "You _KILLED_ HER!"

Just when Stormkit felt she was in so much pain she would die, Dapplefeather stopped, sitting down, her tail curled neatly over her paws, her eyes blazing.

"If you _ever,_ " she hissed softly, "speak of this to _anyone,_ you might just find that, by some tragic accident, a fox, or perhaps a badger, happened to slit your throat."

Dapplefeather then stood up, and walked away, with Crowclaw and Sprucebranch roaring with laughter in her wake.

 _This is it,_ thought Stormkit. _I am going to bleed to death here. Maybe Wolfkit will be okay_. . . Suddenly, a warm, sweet scent wafted through the air.

"Do not fear," said a gentle voice. Stormkit felt herself be lifted off the ground, being carried, almost weightlessly back in the direction of camp. The nameless savior dropped her off at the entrance of camp.

"I will go back for your brother," said the same voice and Stormkit felt the warm, familiar scent leave her. _Don't go!_ she thought, then closed her eyes, feeling the little energy she had left drain away from her.

Stormkit opened her eyes. She was in an unfamiliar place, a hollowed out, huge, dead stump of an ancient, huge tree. A brown she-cat with white markings was sitting beside her, green eyes watching closely.

"Hello, young one," she said softly. Her voice was gentle and kind.

"Wolfkit-" she started, and then stopped. Her voice was surprisingly weak.

"He is all right," the she-cat replied soothingly. "Here. Eat this." She placed a sprig of small leaves in front of her nose. Stormkit sniffed it curiously. It had a sharp, yet calming scent.

"It's thyme," the brown she-cat explained. "It will help with your shock." A rush of memories suddenly poured into Stormkit as she recalled the incident. Tears sprung up in the corners of her eyes. Before she could change her mind, she gobbled up the thyme. Almost immediately, her frayed nerves calmed and her mind settled.

"Who are you?" Stormkit managed to ask.

"I am Maplebreeze, ThunderClan's medicine cat," she replied. "I help heal injured or sick cats." She gestured around the den. "This is the medicine cat den, where I stored my herbs." Stormkit lifted her head and took in the neatly stacked piles of leaves and flowers kept in holes and crevices. The air smelled dusty and sharp. She coughed.

Maplebreeze pushed a bundle of soaked moss towards her. Stormkit gratefully lapped up the water, her dry throat eagerly welcoming the cool liquid.

"Your wounds aren't so bad," the medicine cat reported. "But Wolfkit. . ."

Wolfkit started shaking in his moss nest, jerking and twitching. Stormkit tried to get up, but her limbs wouldn't work. She flopped down in the moss nest, exhausted.

"Close your eyes, young one," Maplebreeze said calmly, padding over to the long-furred tom.

"What will happen to him?" Stormkit whispered.

"It's not infected, luckily," Maplebreeze replied. "But the hawk scratched his eye. He won't be able to see out of it ever again."

"You mean he'll be blind? He won't be able to see?" Stormkit mewed frantically.

"He will," the brown she-cat reassured her. "Just not out of one eye."

"This is all my fault!" Stormkit cried. "I should've stopped him from going out of camp. Then, Willowkit wouldn't be. . ." Her voice trailed off as sobs built up in her throat, threatening to spill out at any moment.

"Shh," Maplebreeze whispered. "It's all right." Then she frowned. "Dear, are you sure you got those wounds from a hawk?"

Stormkit hesitated. If she told the truth, Dapplefeather might kill her, or worse. "Y-yes," the gray kit replied, trembling. "Of course. What else?"

"Are you sure, Stormkit?" Maplebreeze asked again. "I don't think a hawk could've done this."

"I-I'm sure," she replied with the same shakiness. Maplebreeze watched her for a moment, frowning, then went to tend to her newest patient.

Stormkit couldn't believe what her brother looked like. His left eye was gone, covered by a long, jagged scar. Pink and white tissue lined the edges. It went from the top of where his eye had been to the tip of his nose. To spare him the pain, Stormkit avoided bringing Wolfkit outside when it rained and kept him away from the pool at the back of the den. She had recovered nicely, but refused to go back to the nursery. She couldn't spend another day with Dapplefeather breathing down her scruff, reminding her about the threat promising that her life only hung by a thread.

It was a quarter moon since the incident. Stormkit had managed to keep her brother away from any reflective surfaces.

It was a beautiful green-leaf day, almost half-a-moon until the two would be apprenticed. That is, if they were accepted to become apprentices. Stormkit and her brother were sitting at the mouth of the medicine cat den, watching the Clan mill around. Apprentices and their mentors went out to train. Patrol came back with mouthfuls of prey. Stormkit lifted her nose, her eyes shining as she smelled her favorite prey: vole.

"What do I look like?" Wolfkit asked abruptly. Stormkit winced, caught off guard. Her violet eyes darted around, trying to search for an answer.

"Want to play moss-ball?" she blurted. "You try to score it-"

"What do I look like?" Wolfkit repeated. "Everytime someone comes in and sees me, they look away. Don't lie to me, Stormkit."

Stormkit took a deep breath, then sighed. "Fine." She slowly padded to the pool of water in the back of the den, her scarred brother following. Wolfkit peered at the reflection in the rippling puddle. As her brother peered at his reflection, Stormkit prayed to StarClan that he accept what he looked like. The long-furred kit wailed into his paws.

"Wolfkit," Stormkit said quietly. "It's okay." She wrapped her fluffy tail around his shoulders. "You'll always be my brother, no matter what you look like." She gave him a comforting but strained smile.

"Thanks, Stormkit," he sniffled. He turned away from the pool. "Let's go back to the nursery." As much as Stormkit didn't want to, she reluctantly followed her brother into the bramble den. When the two siblings padded inside, they were met with gasps of shock and murmurs.

"What are you doing in here?!" Dapplefeather screeched, her unsheathed claws digging into the ground. "Get out, _murderers!"_

"Dapplefeather, please!" Mintsplash scolded. "It's not their-"

"Of course it's their fault!" Dapplefeather exclaimed angrily. "If it weren't for them, Willowkit would still be alive!"

"But they are your kits as well," Shinefur said gently. "You have to take care of them." Dapplefeather glared at the golden-furred queen.

"I suppose that if Wrenkit was killed because of Ashkit and Darkkit, you'd still love them," she replied scornfully. "These are not my kits. They never _have_ been."

 _Of course we aren't your kits,_ Stormkit thought bitterly. _All you cared about was Willowkit. Willowkit, Willowkit, Willowkit._

"I will be returning to the warriors' den tonight," the calico queen continued. "And that's final!" The piercing glare she directed at the two siblings was enough to make Stormkit shiver in fear. The queen stormed out of the nursery.

Mintsplash padded over them and wrapped her thick, fluffy tail around them. It was a motherly gesture, but Stormkit felt as if she could never trust anyone again.

"I'm sorry," the gray queen said sympathetically. "If you want, you can share Ivykit and Oakkit's nest."

"No," Stormkit replied, trembling. She couldn't accept anything from this cat. She didn't deserve it. "I'm fine."

Mintsplash pulled Stormkit close to her and licked her gently on the head. Stormkit wanted to pull away, but she felt safe and comforted. _Will I ever feel like this again?_

That night, Stormkit curled up in her own moss nest, slightly cold without Wolfkit and Willowkit's bodies to keep her warm. _Willowkit,_ she thought. _My sister, I'm sorry._

Then, so quietly, she almost missed it, a voice whispered back, _I'm sorry, too._ A rush of tiredness passed through the gray she-kit, and she fell asleep, tears silently falling down her face.

 **Chapter 5**

Wolfkit blinked both of his eyes open. No jolt of pain came. No side of his vision was black and empty. _My eye is healed!_ he thought excitedly. He stood up, but still, there was nothing except black for as far as he could see.

 _Where am I?_ he thought. _Am I completely blind now? Is that why I can only see black?_

"Don't fret, young one." Wolfkit turned his head. There sat the beautiful silvery cat. _I've seen her before,_ he realized. Her cold, calculating blue eyes seemed to be examining him, scanning for something.

"Wh-Who are you?" Wolfkit ventured.

"My name is not important to you," the she-cat replied silkily. "You will know it when the time is right, young Wolkit."

"How do you know my name?" Wolfkit asked.

The cat blinked her icy blue eyes. "Don't ask so many questions," she warned. "If you want to survive, keep your muzzle shut."

Wolfkit frowned, perplexed. There were so many questions he had. Where was he? Why was he here? Was she a StarClan cat from Ambefeather's tales?

"Now," she purred, flicking her thick tail from side to side, "it is time for me to question you. Do you love your sister?"

"Do I- what?" he said, alarmed. "O-of course!"  
"Interesting." The beautiful she-cat looked troubled. "Did your mother seem to enjoy her company?"

"Er, no," he said softly. "She didn't really seem to enjoy any of our companies."  
She smiled. "Thank you, Wolfkit," she purred. "And I suggest you listen to what is about to happen."

All of a sudden, she was gone, and a new cat was sitting in her place. _Skystar!_ Wolfkit thought excitedly.

"Wolfkit," he rumbled. His voice was deep and booming, like thunder, yet somehow gentle. "I need you to listen very, _very_ closely to what I am about to tell you. Can you do that?" Wolfkit nodded vigorously. A StarClan cat, talking to him!  
Once again, there was a flash of light. He was standing in a dark, thicketed forest, spongy pine needles under his paws. He felt himself walk forward, but didn't know why. It was as if his paws were moving all on their own.

Beside him was a slender, wiry brown she-cat. "Think it's over there, Wolfpaw?" she asked.

"I hope so," he replied without thinking. _What am I looking for?_ he thought, confused.

All of a sudden, the she-cat stopped dead in her tracks. "Wolfpaw," she said excitedly, her voice hardly more than a whisper. "It's here!"

In front of them was a deep gray stone, glowing faintly, nestled safely in the middle of what looked like a thicket bush.

With another blinding flash, Wolfkit was back in the endless black space, with Skystar watching him closely. "Find the stones, Wolfkit," he said softly. "You're our only hope." He flicked his tail. "You shall meet with the others on the riverbank near Twolegplace. Then," he went on, "you must travel to the jagged crack, across the rushing brook, through the thorny forest, and pass the lush swamp to find moor, rose, clear, and marsh." Then, he was gone, and Wolfkit opened his eyes to find himself nestled between Ivykit and Oakkit, the pale morning light shining into the nursery. He frowned.

 _What was that all about?_ he wondered.

"Get out of my way!" Dapplefeather snapped. A sparrow and a vole swung from her jaws. Wolfkit's mouth watered at the scent of the prey, but he shook it off. He watched as she dropped off the prey at the prey pile and padded over to her mate, Sunstar. The calico she-cat muttered a few things in the golden tabby's ear. The leader nodded in agreement. Wolfkit gulped in fear as Sunstar made his way to the top of the High Rock, his paws making soft _thuds_ in the stone.

 _Stone,_ Wolfkit remembered. His thoughts drifted back to the dream he had. What did Skystar mean? What kind of stones? Who was that she-cat?

"All cats old enough to fight in battles gather beneath the High Rock!" Sunstar yowled, his golden fur gleaming against the morning light. Cats, curious, hesitantly gathered beneath the rock.

"It has been brought to my attention that we have two misbehaved kits," the leader spoke. "Wolfkit, Stormkit, come forward." Wolfkit gulped in surprise and nervousness. What would happen to them?

Someone shoved him from behind. Wolfkit glanced behind him and saw Sprucebranch's hard blue gaze glare at him.

"Go on," she hissed. Wolfkit began to pad forward, his legs trembling. He could feel every cat's gaze on him, burning holes in his pelt. He felt his sister walking behind him.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Sunstar meowed. "These two kits have done the unimaginable. They went outside of camp when they shouldn't have, taking their sister, Willowkit, with them. Little did they know, a hawk was patrolling the skies. It took young Willowkit and left Wolfkit scarred for life." His green eyes flashed.

"However," he pressed on, "I do believe that these two kits still deserve the right to be apprenticed. Though they messed up gravely, they deserve redemption. As my children, I want them to grow up to be great warriors." Sunstar turned to face the two kits.

"Wolfkit," he boomed, his voice echoing across camp. "Do you promise to defend your Clan and honor your leader, even at the cost of your life?"

"I-I do, Sunstar," the long-haired kit stammered. He couldn't believe it! They were becoming apprentices!

"Good," he said silkily. "From this day forward, you shall be named Wolfpaw. Talonclaw," he said, turning to the scarred tabby warrior, "you have trained long and hard to become a skilled hunter and fighter. Pass these skills down onto this young apprentice." Talonclaw padded forward and dipped his head.

"Touch my nose," he hissed to Wolfpaw through gritted teeth. Wolfpaw tapped his pink nose to his scarred one.

"Stormkit," Sunstar continued shortly. "You will now be known as Stormpaw. Maplebreeze will be your mentor."

Wolfkit gasped. _Maplebreeze?_ he thought. _Isn't she the medicine cat?_

 **Chapter 6**

Stormkit was sitting in an open, sunny meadow. She tasted the air. _A mouse!_ She thought excitedly. Sure enough, she heard a scuffling sound from not too far away. She dropped into a crouch she'd practiced in the nursery. She crept forward, the mouse stopping in its tracks to nibble on a seed. _Just think,_ she thought, _what Dapplefeather will think when I catch a mouse!_

Keeping her violet gaze trained on the rodent, Stormkit carefully put one paw in front of the other, silently and slowly creeping forward. The mouse was still oblivious to her existence. Just as she was about to pounce, the mouse skittered away.

"Fox-dung!" Stormkit cursed, picking up her pace to chase after it. As she pursued it, the sunny field disappeared into a dark, shadowy forest. Eerie creaks and chirps came seemed to come from the darkness. Stormkit slowed her pace, jerking her head from side to side, searching for an exit. But everywhere she looked, there were only rustling trees with drooping, dead leaves hanging off branches.

"Stormkit," a silky smooth voice said. Stormkit whipped around. There, sitting on a log that hadn't been there before, was a stunning, slender she-cat with shiny, silver fur, slightly tinted blue. Her pale, clear blue eyes were like twin pools of water. Stormkit swallowed hard.

"Who are you?" she demanded, trying to conceal the quivering in her voice. "Where am I?"

The she-cat didn't speak. Her narrow, thoughtful gaze seemed to be analyzing her. Stormkit wrapped her tail closer to her.

"Who are you?" Stormkit repeated.

The she-cat smirked coldly. "I am a StarClan cat."

"StarClan?" Stormkit was puzzled. She didn't know StarClan was so. . . _dark._ "What's your name then?"

The silver cat swept her tail over the ground. "Unimportant." She stared right into Stormkit's eyes, blue against violet.

"Oh, sweetie," she purred, wrapping her tail around Stormkit's dark gray body. "You are so brave. . ."

"Brave? What do you mean?" Stormkit frowned, puzzled.

"You braved the blows from Dapplefeather when it was your brother's idea to chase the hawk," she purred. "If that's not bravery, I don't know what is."

Stormkit blinked. She didn't think that was bravery; she just did what anyone else would've done!  
"I don't think-"

"Oh, so modest," she said gently. "You will make a great warrior someday." Suddenly, her eyes turned cold, like blue blocks of ice. "Listen, sweetie. Soon, you will be asked to uncover a great power. Power beyond your wildest dreams. You will aid and assist, but when the time comes," she paused, flicking her thick tail, "you must take the power for yourself."

"What kind of power? Why should I take it for myself?" Stormkit asked, but the dream was already fading. The last glimpse she saw was the silver cat smiling coldly at her before bright sunlight pierced her vision.

Stormkit padded into the medicine cat den, her oncoming apprenticeship hardly on her mind. She needed to find out what the dream meant! And who better to figure out what StarClan's message was than the medicine cat?

The tangy, strong smell of herbs suffocated the clean, fresh air. Maplebreeze looked up from the tansy she was sorting. "Ah, Stormkit," she said with a tired smile. "What can I do for you?"

Stormkit shifted the earth under her paws. Should she tell Maplebreeze about the dream?

"If you have something you want to say," meowed Maplebreeze gently, as if reading Stormkit's mind, "you can tell me. You can trust me, I promise."

"I-I. . ." Stormkit's mouth felt dry as sand. She ducked her head. "Never mind."

Maplebreeze twitched an ear, doubt and concern practically rolling off her fur. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Stormkit shook her head. "Just. . . worried about my apprentice ceremony, I guess."

Maplebreeze smiled warmly. "I remember my apprentice ceremony like it was just yesterday." Her green eyes shone with nostalgia. "I had always had an interest in herbs, so Skystar decided to apprentice me to Blackspot, the medicine cat." She gave the gray kit a lick on the head. "You have nothing to worry about," Maplebreeze assured her gently.

Stormkit smiled gratefully at the she-cat's gentle words. Maplebreeze was being so nice to her! _Maybe,_ she thought, _I could tell her about the dream?_ Then, however, she remembered the images of Dapplefeather delivering painful blows to her, and she winced at the memory. _If I tell her, she might tell Dapplefeather, which could make her mad!_ she thought. _I won't tell her,_ she decided, and nodded silently to herself as Maplebreeze returned to sorting her herbs.

 _But then,_ said a voice in her head, _how will you find out what the dream means? Only medicine cats can decipher messages from StarClan!_ she thought, flicking her tail worriedly.

 _But,_ she thought, flicking her tail still more rapidly, _if I become a medicine cat, I can decipher what the dream meant!_ She sighed, seeing images of defending her Clan, fighting for her Clan, catching prey, and making her father and leader, Sunstar, proud of her slipping away from her. _This is for the greater good. It has to be done,_ she begrudgingly decided.

"M-Maplebreeze," she said, a little shakily, realizing this was her final decision, "I-I've decided I want to be your apprentice."

Maplebreeze looked up from her herbs, looking a little surprised and taken aback. "What? Oh, o-of course! I thought you wanted to be a warrior!" The brown and white she-cat looked flustered. "What caused the change of heart?"

Stormkit shrugged, still not comfortable with telling the medicine cat about her dream. Maplebreeze smiled, her eyes filling with joy and concealed uncertainty. "Okay, well, I'll tell Sunstar!" She got up, padding away, a new spring in her step.

 **Chapter 7**

The newly named Stormpaw touched her pink nose to Maplebreeze's, feeling confident this was the right decision. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Wolfpaw, his amber eye widened in shock. Stormpaw flicked an ear. _Later,_ it meant. Wolfpaw nodded in acceptance and padded after his mentor.

"Make yourself a nest in the apprentices' den," Maplebreeze told her. "We'll go out for herbs later." She gave the gray apprentice a flick on the shoulder before padding back to her den. Stormpaw gulped as her gaze shifted over to the apprentices' den, a stone cave with multiple cracks filled with vines and brambles to shed the rain. She had never been inside the den before. As a kit, the other apprentices intimidated her. They seemed so big and tough. She took a deep breath and padded inside, her paws slightly trembling.

Two toms were wrestling inside the den. Though they weren't using claws, the looks of anger and rage in their eyes made it look like they wanted to rip each other apart. One tom was very dark brown with fiery yellow eyes, the other muscular with brown tabby stripes and blue eyes like cold slits of ice. Beside them, a gray tabby she-cat was watching, a disdainful air surrounding her.

Stormpaw stood there in the entrance, her paws seemingly stuck to the floor. The she-cat turned her eyes towards her, then cleared her throat.

"Bramblepaw, Bluepaw," she said, warning in her tone. "The newbie's here." The two toms stopped their scuffling, their fur caked with dust and bits of moss.

"Truce?" the brown tom panted.

"Truce," the tabby tom grunted, swishing his tail. The two toms' gaze slide towards Stormpaw. She felt like shrinking inside her pelt as the three apprentices looked at her.

"Stormpaw, am I right?" The she-cat drew her tongue over her paw. "My name's Rainpaw. That's Bramblepaw," she nodded to the dark brown tom, "and Bluepaw." The pale brown tom nodded stiffly. "Where's your brother? Wolfpaw, isn't it?"

"Training." Stormpaw's voice was barely above a whisper. She shifted her weight from paw to paw, her violet eyes fixed on a rock on the floor. "Um, sorry if I interrupted anything."

"No, no, it's fine," Bluepaw spoke up. "Want me to give you a tour of the den?" His gaze was warm now, not like the way it had been while fighting. Rather like a warm puddle of water on a Newleaf day.

"Honestly, Bluepaw," Rainpaw sniffed. "I'm sure the newbie can find her way around." Stormpaw flinched at the nickname. _I have a name, you know!_

"It's not like Shimmersplash didn't show you around when you first came," Bluepaw shot back. "C'mon, Stormpaw. Let's get some moss for your nest." He led her out of the suffocating den and into the light.

"Don't worry about Rainpaw," Bluepaw meowed. "She's always acting like a queen that needs to be pampered." Stormpaw felt as if there was sand stuck in her throat. She couldn't say a word.

"Bramblepaw's pretty nice," the apprentice continued. "Just don't mess with his food. You'll have mouse-bile and fire ants in your nest for a moon!" He purred softly. Suddenly it stopped. "And then there's Stonepaw," he said softly. "He's the one you have to avoid. He'll make mouse-meat out of any cat who opposes him." Stormpaw shivered despite the bright sunlight.

Bluepaw showed her the moss storages and helped her pick the softest, plushest moss. They went back to the apprentices' den; Rainpaw and Bramblepaw had left to train, and made a tidy, cozy nest in the corner. They made one for Wolfpaw right next to hers.

"Bluepaw!" Halftail called. "Training!" Bluepaw's ear twitched.

"I gotta go," he said. "Nice meeting you, Stormpaw."

"Thank you," Stormpaw said softly. She wasn't sure if Bluepaw heard her, because the next moment he had darted out of the den.

She sat down on her moss bed. It was soft and wonderful, yet felt cold and lonely. As a kit, she had slept with her siblings. Now, though, now she couldn't feel anyone close to her, anyone breathing softly against her side. She felt completely alone.

"Stormpaw!" Stormpaw lifted her head from her paws. She must have dozed off, because now there was a bright, sunny glow outside. Wolfpaw was standing over her, tail flicking excitedly. "Maplebreeze says to rest up and get accompanied today, and that training starts tomorrow!" Stormpaw nodded, not paying attention. She saw Bluepaw sitting in his nest, observing Rainpaw and Stonepaw tussle over whether or not Rainpaw stole a scrap of moss from his nest. Bluepaw was sitting in a stately manner, tail wrapped neatly around his paws, blue eyes focused on the two quarreling apprentices.


	2. Chapter 1

The Quest of Shadows

Dark Clouds

Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader ~ Sunstar - long-furred golden tabby tom with green eyes

Deputy ~ Sprucebranch - pale brown tabby she-cat and frost blue eyes

Medicine Cat ~ Maplebreeze- caramel brown she-cat with white dots over her green eyes

Warriors ~

Goldenberry - golden tabby tom with white splotches and green eyes

Talonclaw - muscular dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Sharpwhisker - slender, pale ginger she-cat with one blue eye and one amber eye

Halftail - scarred brown tabby tom with a stumpy tail **(Apprentice, Bluepaw)**

Losteye - ginger and cream she-cat with a missing eye **(Apprentice, Rainpaw)**

Cinderbird - dark gray she-cat with lighter flecks and green eyes

Dustcloud - golden and ginger tom with green eyes

Cloudheart - white tom with green eyes

Fawndapple - fawn colored she-cat with cream dapples and green eyes

Redflame - dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes **(Apprentice, Bramblepaw)**

Roseheart - calico she-cat with blue eyes **(Apprentice, Stonepaw)**

Silverstripe - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Frostwillow - pale gray she-cat with blue eyes, guards and manages the prey pile

Sleekfur - golden she-cat with lighter markings and blue eyes

Shimmersplash - silvery she-cat with blue eyes

Mouseclaw - gray tom with yellow eyes

Apprentices

Bramblepaw - dark brown tom with yellow eyes

Rainpaw - gray tabby she-cat with white splotches and pale blue eyes

Bluepaw - brown tabby tom with striking blue eyes

Stonepaw - dark gray tom with white splotches and amber eyes

Queens

Dapplefeather - calico she-cat with green eyes, mother to Stormkit (Black she-kit with violet blue eyes), Wolfkit (long-furred dark gray tom with amber eyes), and Willowkit (calico she-kit with blue eyes)

Mintsplash - gray she-cat with lighter splashes and green eyes, mother to Cloudheart's kits, Ivykit (calico she-kit with green eyes) and Oakkit (dark brown tom with green eyes)

Lilypool - white and cream she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Hollykit (dark brown she-kit with yellow eyes)

Shinefur - golden tabby she-cat with a white paw with green eyes, mother to Redflame's kits, Wrenkit (brown tabby she-kit with green eyes), Darkkit (white tom with gray markings and sky blue eyes), Ashkit (dark gray tom with amber eyes)

Elders-

Gemheart - gray dappled she-cat with black stripes and blue eyes, former kittypet

Amberfeather - pale ginger she-cat with a white chest with green eyes

Nightwhisper - black tom with white splotches and yellow eyes

ShadowClan

Leader ~ Ratstar - muscular scarred dark gray tom with amber eyes

Deputy ~ Crookedwhisker - pale yellow tabby she-cat with bent whiskers and green eyes

Medicine cat ~ Smalltail - black-and-white tom with a stubby tail **(Apprentice, Daisypaw)**

Warriors

Slateclaw - dark gray tom with light gray flecks and amber eyes

Tawnyfoot - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with one green eye and one blue eye

Cloudtooth - pale gray tom with darker stripes and blue eyes

Foxfeather - dark red she-cat with green eyes **(Apprentice, Raggedpaw)**

Amberfall - ginger and russet she-cat with amber eyes

Mossfire - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Snowpetal - white she-cat with blue eyes

Jaystreak - gray tabby tom with dark blue eyes **(Apprentice, Sleetpaw)**

Shrewfur - dark brown tom with amber eyes **(Apprentice, Blossompaw)**

Sparkfire - pale ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes

Brightmist - ginger and cream she-cat with green eyes

Nettlevine - brown tabby tom with cream markings and yellow eyes

Bluenight - blue-gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Featherstream - sleek-furred silver she-cat with green eyes

Firefoot - ginger tom with a white belly and tail tip, paws are slightly darker colored, green eyes

Apprentices

Sleetpaw - pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Blossompaw - dark brown and white she-cat with blue eyes

Raggedpaw - dark brown tom with amber flecks and a white underbelly and paws with green eyes

Daisypaw - pale brown she-cat with darker flecks and orange eyes

Queens

Icebreeze - white she-cat with orange eyes, mother to Shrewfur's kits, Pebblekit (pale gray she-kit with amber eyes) and Eaglekit (brown and white tom with amber eyes)

Tanglefur - long-furred ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother to Slateclaw's kits, Creamkit (cream she-kit with green eyes), and Thornkit (golden tabby tom with amber eyes)

Elders-

Dustsong - ginger tabby she-cat with blind green eyes

Flintwhisker - gray tom with lighter flecks and amber eyes

WindClan

Leader ~ Lightstar - pale ginger tabby tom with a white paw and amber eyes

Deputy ~ Palethistle - pale cream tabby she-cat with green eyes

Medicine cat ~ Bristleleaf - white and brown she-cat with amber eyes **(Apprentice, Poppybreeze)**

Warriors

Amberbreeze - ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Icefern - silvery white she-cat with blue eyes

Foxwind - dark ginger tom with yellow eyes

Lynxpelt - long-furred gray tabby tom with yellow eyes **(Apprentice, Harepaw)**

Wolfpelt - shaggy black tom with gray splotches and amber eyes

Russetdawn- dark russet she-cat with yellow eyes

Bumblelight - pale brown tabby tom with green eyes

Wishfrost - silver and white she-cat with blue eyes **(Apprentice, Tallpaw)**

Firespots - golden tom with ginger spots and amber eyes

Blackpoppy - black she-cat with a white muzzle, underbelly, and tailtip with blue eyes

Branchflame - brown tom with ginger splotches and green eyes

Breezewhisker- dark brown tabby tom with orange eyes **(Apprentice, Sandpaw)**

Rainstrike - brown tabby she-cat with cream splotches and blue eyes **(Apprentice, Swiftpaw)**

Hawkswoop - brown tabby tom with green eyes

Apprentices

Poppybreeze - brown, ginger, and cream dappled she-cat with amber eyes

Sandpaw - white tom with ginger paws and ears with amber eyes

Tallpaw - Tuxedo tom with big ears and blue eyes

Swiftpaw - light ginger tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws with green eyes

Harepaw - quick, light brown she-cat with bright yellow eyes

Queens-

Fernstone - pale gray she-cat with darker flecks and blue eyes, mother to Wolfpelt's kits, Stonekit (gray and black tom with blue eyes), Featherkit (cream she-kit with amber eyes), and kestrelkit (brown tabby tom with amber eyes)

Elders-

Hollowbranch - dark brown tabby tom with hazel eyes

Gorseberry - prickly furred cream tabby she-cat with blind blue eyes

RiverClan

Leader ~ Clearstar - blue gray she-cat with ice blue eyes

Deputy ~ Coldfur - black and white tom with green eyes

Medicine cat ~ Ripplestone - Tuxedo tom with amber eyes **(Apprentice, Antpaw)**

Warriors

Thornleaf - sleek-furred ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Scarletflower - ginger tabby she-cat and green eyes, former kittypet

Brindlethorn - pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Rowancloud - brown tom with green eyes and a scarred leg **(Apprentice, Eaglepaw)**

Blazepounce - ginger tom with a russet stripe down the back with yellow eyes

Reedstripe - black tom with white splotches and green eyes

Leopardwhisker - golden she-cat with darker spots with amber eyes **(Apprentice, Loudpaw)**

Hazelnose - brown tabby tom with a lighter muzzle and orange eyes

Fishleap - silver and gray tom with blue eyes

Hailheart - gray tabby tom with a white paw and orange eyes

Lilystream - silver and white she-cat with yellow eyes **(Apprentice, Waterpaw)**

Ebonynose - black she-cat with a white face and yellow eyes

Pebblesplash- white tom with ginger splotches and yellow eyes

Darkwater - dark gray tom with a white belly and blue eyes

Streamfeather - White, long-furred tom with gray tabby patches and green eyes

Apprentices

Eaglepaw - brown and white tom with yellow eyes

Loudpaw - ginger tom with darker patches with yellow eyes

Waterpaw - dark gray tom with blue eyes

Antpaw - dark brown tom with ginger markings and green eyes

Queens

Streamtail- cream she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Coldfur's kits, Owlkit (tawny tom with green eyes), Grasskit (gray tom with green eyes), and Silverkit (white she-cat with a silver paw with blue eyes)

Flowerwisp - silvery white she-cat with green eyes, mother to Skykit (white tom with orange eyes) and Littlekit (small ginger and cream she-kit with green eyes)

Elders

Sprucefrost - dark brown tom with darker flecks and green eyes

Yarrowstem - brown and yellow she-cat with hazel eyes

 **Prologue**

Darkness. The peaceful, quiet, darkness loomed not ominously, but rather like a thick blanket, protecting all the plants and animals sleeping in its wake.

Suddenly, a flash of light sped by. An animal that emitted out a faint glow, as if made by the stars themselves, ran as fast as it could, yet it's chest wasn't heaving and it showed no sign of being tired. It carried four small objects in its mouth.

The light animal suddenly veered off to the side, disappearing among the thick undergrowth. He emerged on the other side to see several star animals like himself sitting around a gleaming, rippling pool. It slowed down, making it very evident that they all were cats.

"Ripplepool," meowed a voice. The cat in the center of all the group called out to him. "I was beginning to think you had forgotten."

"Not for the world, Skystar," Ripplepool replied through the objects in his mouth. He had a sleek, muscular frame with red patches on his fur that glowed like embers. The cat set down the objects. Four smooth stones gleamed, even though no light passed through the branches of the forest.

"I am glad to see you have brought them," Skystar meowed, flicking his bushy tail from side to side. Ripplepool nodded.

"It took a while to retrieve them," he grunted. "I hope you're grateful."

"Of course," Skystar replied briskly.

"When you two are done talking it up," said an irritable voice from the crowd of cats, "I'd like to know what the rocks are for." Ripplepool dipped his head, then disappeared into the crowd.

"A good question, Sweetmeadow," Skystar mewed cooly. A wiry brown she-cat with glowing greenish yellow eyes swished her tail impatiently. "I believe," meowed Skystar, raising his voice, "that we all know about Sunstar." There were solemn nods and sad meows. Skystar continued. "In order to restore faith in StarClan, four cats must make a noble sacrifice." Murmurs broke out among the group.

"What kind of sacrifice?" asked a deep voice that came from a gray tabby tom.

Skystar nodded towards to stones Ripplepool had brought. Even in the darkness, they managed to gleam. "These are stones Ripplepool has generously brought to us," he said solemnly. "Four cats must harness all their energy into these stones. Or, in other words, four cats must _become_ the stones."

There were fast, suspicious murmurs from the crowd of cats. " _What will happen?" "How does this work?" "How will we_ become _the stones?"_

Skystar flicked his tail, and the cats quieted. "I know what you are wondering," he mewed. "What will happen to you when you become the stone? Sadly," he continued, "you can never return to StarClan once you become it. And if the stone is destroyed, the cat will forever cease to exist." The murmurs resumed, but much more quick and panicked than last time. There was no denying it: four cats had to go.

"Skystar," Sweetmeadow meowed once again, "we have already sacrificed our lives for our Clans. Do you expect us to sacrifice ourselves again? Why?" She looked expectantly at the leader.

"Yes, Sweetmeadow, I do. And for the answer to your second question," he said, flicking his tail, "I was just about to get to that. Sunstar, as some of you know, has done many things. Things such as killing others who opposed him when he was just a young cat, hardly an apprentice. Cats much larger, and more skilled than him. No one could be able to accomplish this feat, unless they had outside help."

Almost every cat in the group pricked their ears forward at once, listening closely, their eyes wide in anticipation. Skystar continued. "I have reason to believe that Sunstar has had a taste of the power of the Dark Forest. No cat will be able to stop him if he has this kind of power. If we cannot stop him, the Clans will turn their backs on StarClan.

"With these stones, any worthy cat who can access them will be able to have power equal to that of Sunstar's. The power of _StarClan._ " He paused, took a deep breath, then spoke again.

"A cat from each Clan will be sacrificed. The cat chosen will have the liberty of choosing a cat currently living to gain access to the powers the stone provides. Choose wisely," Skystar finished, swishing his tail over the stones. One was dark as shadows, another gray as stormclouds, the third one blue as a river, and the final one yellow as moor grass. The cats shifted and murmured, kneading the ground with their paws. Finally, a voice spoke up. "I will-"

"No, _NO!_ _Clearwing, don't do it!"_ A gray and silver splotched tom slowly padded forth, followed by a frantic-looking blue-gray she-cat. "I've already lost you once, Clearwing! You _can't_ leave me again!" she shrieked.

"Calm down, Featherpool," said the tom, trying to conceal the pain edging his calm tone. "This is for our kits."

"I know," said Featherpool, her voice strained with grief, "but what about me? I came to StarClan thinking we'd be together for the rest of time!" Her blue eyes flooded with tears. "How could you leave me again?"

"Don't worry," said Clearwing softly. "It's better this way." He touched his nose to Featherpool's then without another word, padded towards the stone. He looked Skystar straight in the eye.

"I choose Pebblesplash," he meowed calmly. "He is a just and noble warrior. I believe in him."

"A wise choice, Clearwing," replied Skystar. "I would expect nothing less of you." Clearwing dipped his head respectively, then padded over to the blue stone. He closed his eyes and touched his nose to the smooth surface. There was a flash of light, and he was gone. In the glowing pool, a white face with ginger patches shone in the surface of the water.

"This stone," said Skystar, brushing his tail over the now slightly glowing blue rock, "will be named the Clear Stone." Featherpool let out a mournful wail. A cream she-cat padded forward and draped her tail over her shoulders.

Suddenly, heads turned. A long-furred tortoiseshell she-cat with a flat face padded forward.

"Marshflower," meowed Skystar. "I wouldn't think-"

"Yeah, yeah," she growled, brushing Skystar aside. "I know the drill. I pick Firefoot." There were murmurs coming from the crowd.

"Firefoot?" called one cat. "The kittypet?" There were quiet laughs from the crowd.  
"No," responded Marshflower, rolling her eyes, "Firefoot the mouse. Yes, I mean Firefoot the kittypet," she spat. The cats went silent, knowing she was serious about her decision. Marshflower padded over to the dark colored stone and pressed her nose to it. There was another flash of light, and the grumpy she-cat was gone.

Replacing the ginger and white tom in the pool, another tom appeared. This tom was a fiery ginger color with white paws and tail-tip. His paws were slightly darker than his fur. This cat looked nervous and skittish; quite different from Pebblesplash's dauntless and brave face.

"This stone," murmured Skystar, "will be called the Marsh Stone."

"Strange cat, isn't she, that Marshflower?" Heads turned to see a pale ginger tabby tom. Sweetmeadow flicked an ear.

"You're a fool, Moorblaze." she meowed bitterly. "You are risking you happy life in StarClan for an unfounded guess that Sunstar is getting outside help."

"I am aware of what I am doing, sister," he replied curtly. "And as you will remember from our training together as apprentices, I do enjoy taking risks." Moorblaze walked forward, and nodded towards Skystar.

"I think," he meowed, "I will choose Harepaw." He then padded forward to the stone with the color of moor grass. He too touched his nose to it. With a flash of light, he was gone. In the pool, the ginger tom vanished, replaced by a slender, light brown she cat running across the moor.

"This stone," Skystar meowed, "will be called-"

"The Moor Stone, I assume?" A very small cat, hardly older than one moon, stepped forward. Her dusty brown tabby fur was still mostly fluff, but her green eyes danced with wisdom.

"Rosekit," said Skystar. "You would like to do this, even though your mother is on Sunstar's side?"  
"I would like to, Skystar," she confirmed, "to make up for my mother's mistakes." She padded forward.

"I would like to pick Wolfkit," she decided. There were gasps and mutters.

"A kit?" asked Skystar. "Rosekit, are you sure that we should weigh down a young kit with such a burden?"  
"I sense great things from him, Skystar," she mewed quietly. "I have made up my mind."

She touched her nose to the stone the color of thunderclouds, then was gone in a spiral of blinding light. There was silence for a moment.

"I shall hide the Clear, Moor, Marsh, and Rose stones in far corners of the world," meowed Skystar, breaking the quiet, "so Sunstar cannot reach them."  
Meanwhile, in the pool, an image of a small, long-furred, gray kit rippled in the clear water, sleeping soundly.

 **Chapter 1**

"Come on, Stormkit!" Stormkit blinked her violet blue eyes open to see her brother, Wolfkit's, nose touching hers. His wide amber eyes were gleaming with excitement. Next to him was Willowkit, sleeping deeply. "Mama said we could go out and play," he squeaked. "C'mon, let's go!" Hardly waiting for his sibling, Wolfkit dashed for the exit of the nursery before Dapplefeather stepped in front of him.

"Calm down, Wolfkit," she snapped. The thick bramble walls of the nursery glowed as the watery greenleaf morning light flooded in. Stormkit stretched her pale gray feet and rolled over onto her paws, squinting as the morning light hit her face. She shook scraps of moss from her nest out of her fur. Wolfkit was already up, abandoning Dapplefeather and moving on to Shinefur's new kits, who had just barely opened their eyes.

"What are their names?" Wolfkit squeaked. Stormkit's brother asked the golden queen every day, and he knew the answer by heart, but he asked anyway.

"The little she-cat is Wrenkit," Shinefur calmly replied, resting her tail on the brown speckled kit. "The gray tom is Ashkit," she lay her tail on the pale gray tomkit. "As for this one," she rested her tail on the white tom with gray markings, "Darkkit." The kits squirmed against their mother's belly, making little mews.

"Wolfkit!" Dapplefeather hissed, her tail flicking. "Stop bothering Shinefur! You'll wake Willowkit with all that racket!" Willowkit, her sister, slept soundly as a stone, curled up in the moss of the nest. Stormkit wondered how her sister managed to sleep so soundly. Sometimes, she even slept until the sun was in the middle of the sky! She was never punished, though. She never got punished.

"But, Mama!" Wolfkit paced around eagerly.

"Dapplefeather, let them go out," Shinefur said softly. "Kits need to have their fun."

Dapplefeather dropped her head, muttering something, then said, "All right, you can go out." She flicked her tail, annoyed. Wolfkit let out a squeal of joy and raced outside. Stormkit cast one last glance at her sleeping sibling, then hurried after her brother. The sun had just risen above the camp, bathing it in early morning light. Sprucebranch, ThunderClan's deputy, was sitting on Highrock, her tail tucked neatly over her paws, her narrowed eyes scanning the camp. Sleekfur and Shimmersplash, two siblings who had just became warriors the past moon, were whispering to each other, casting glances at Mouseclaw, who was sunning himself on a rock.

"C'mon, Stormkit!" Wolfkit squeaked. "The morning patrol is back!" Sure enough, Redflame, Bramblepaw, and Cloudheart came walking in, pushing through the gap in the thicketed camp walls. Sprucebranch's gaze darkened.

"Where is Sharpwhisker?" she demanded.

"There was a hawk, Sprucebranch," Redflame mewed. "Sharpwhisker stayed behind to investigate. Losteye did the same."

"I did not ask you about the whereabouts of Losteye," she replied coldly. "No matter, though. Why did you not stay behind and do the same?"  
"We-"

"Too cowardly to do so?" she taunted. Stormkit twitched her ear nervously. That was how Sprucebranch always acted, but somehow the little gray kit felt that wasn't the best thing to say. Angered, Cloudheart pinned his ear ears back.

"You didn't let him finish," he said sharply, holding back his fury. "We wanted to come back and report it to Sunstar."

"It's only a harmless bird," the deputy replied, bored. "Why would you need to tell?"  
The white tom bristled. "These 'harmless birds' you speak of could capture and even _kill_ some of our Clan's kits and apprentices." Sprucebranch opened her mouth to say something, then closed it and smiled curtly.

"Fine. I'm sure Losteye and Sharpwhisker will take care of it. You are dismissed." She flicked her tail. Redflame dipped his head respectfully, but Stormkit could see the annoyance in his eyes as he walked away, Bramblepaw at his heels. Cloudheart stalked off angrily, muttering to himself. Stormkit shuddered, wondering why Sprucebranch was so harsh. The Clans used to be peaceful and kind, or so Amberfeather said.

Amberfeather used to tell stories about times where leaders were fair, and loyal to their Clan and didn't act like they were any better than a common warrior! The leaders in her stories were kind and just and fair, and often came out of their dens and went on patrols! The leader she talked about most was Skystar, her old mate.

"He was the kindest, fairest leader of all," she purred. These were, though, only stories. These leaders couldn't have existed. If they did, then what happened? Why were leaders so mean now?

Sunstar had found out about the stories and forbade Amberfeather to ever tell them again. Stormkit yearned for more tales, but if she got caught, the punishment could mean exile, or even worse, public execution, something Sunstar took pleasure in witnessing.

"Didja hear that?" Wolfkit's soft whispers broke Stormkit's train of thought. "A big bird! If we chased that off, Sunstar would have no choice but to make us into apprentices early!"

"Erm, I dunno," Stormkit mewed hesitantly. She had heard that birds like that could carry off kits like her, eating them.

"C'mon, Stormkit!" he squeaked excitedly. "What've you got to lose?" _My life,_ she wanted to say, but she held her tongue. The way her brother's amber eyes sparkled, she knew this meant a lot to him. Stormkit sighed softly.

"Okay," she said reluctantly, 'but we should take Willowkit." Wolfkit groaned.

"No, not Willowkit!" he groaned. "We'd never be able to sneak her past Dapplefeather!"

"We can," she said," if we're careful about it. Dapplefeather will never notice. We need to take her with us. She's our sister."

Wolfkit sighed, and swished his tail impatiently. "Fine." The two siblings padded into the nursery, where Ivykit and Oakkit were playing with Hollykit. The moment Ivykit saw the two, she abandoned the game and scrambled over to them. Stormkit smiled affectionately at the little bundle of fur as she craned her head to look up at them. Wolfkit, however, looked annoyed.

"Want to play with us?" Ivykit squeaked, her green eyes practically begging the two siblings to say yes.

"No," Wolfkit said blandly. "You're too little. We're going to play big-kit games."

"I am _not_ little!" Ivykit said defiantly. "I'm two moons old!" Stormkit sighed. The little she-kit was so stubborn. She would have to take matters into her own paws.

"Wolfkit and I were going to see the elders," she explained patiently. "We wanted Willowkit to see if wanted to come with us."

"Oh." Ivykit made a face. She didn't really like the elders, finding them to be slow and impatient. "I'm going to play with Oakkit and Hollykit, then." She scampered off. Wolfkit smirked.

"Nice work," he whispered. Stormkit smiled guiltily. She still wasn't so keen about sneaking out of camp, but she didn't protest. They padded over to Willowkit, who was sleeping on her side, her paws tucked under her head as her tail twitched in her sleep. Her calico fur was blotted with bits of moss. Stormkit nosed her sister under the chin.

"Psst! Willowkit! Wake up!" Willowkit yawned as her eyelids slid open, revealing her pretty sky-blue eyes. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light.

"What is it?" she asked sleepily, licking the moss scraps out of her fur.

"Want to go on an adventure?" Wolfkit asked. "We're going to catch a hawk so Sunstar can make us apprentices early!" Willowkit was out of her nest in an instant.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!" she squeaked, darting for the nursery entrance, followed by Stormkit and Wolfkit, when they ran into a wall of calico fur.

"Now just where do you think _you're_ going?" Dapplefeather sneered, more at Stormkit and Wolfkit than at Willowkit. Willowkit gulped, and Stormkit looked at her paws. They were never going to get past Dapplefeather. Luckily, Wolfkit rescued them.

"We're going to see the elders," he said earnestly. "Amberfeather has a new story to tell us." Dapplefeather narrowed her green eyes. "Why did you have to wake Willowkit, then?"

"Because. . . because. . ." Wolfkit fumbled for an answer.

"Because we didn't want her to feel left out," Stormkit jumped in. She prayed to StarClan that Dapplefeather wouldn't see through the lie.

"Well, good," Dapplefeather snapped. "You should always take Willowkit with you, no matter what!" Her gaze softened as she licked her daughter on the head. "I can't have my precious baby feeling left out," she cooed. Wolfkit made a face. Stormkit could see he was annoyed that Dapplefeather paid so much more attention to Willowkit than her other two kits.

As the calico queen padded back into the nursery, Stormkit let out a sigh of relief.

"That was close!" she said.

" _Too_ close," Wolfkit muttered. The three kits ducked behind the elders den, then hurried into the dirt-place tunnel.

"Yuck," Willowkit said, her tail swishing in annoyance. "It stinks out here!" The trio scampered into the forest, where the smells of dung were replaced with fresh scents of dew and leaves and earth. Stormkit giggled as a plunk of morning dew landed on Wolfkit's head. Wolfkit scowled playfully.

"I never knew the territory was so _big!"_ Willowkit said in awe. She stepped over a leaf that was almost as large as her. "It's so beautiful out here!"

They wandered around a bit more, pretending they were catching invisible prey or enemy warriors sneaking through the undergrowth. As they played in a sandy clearing, suddenly, a shadow of a large bird hovered over them, circling the trio.

"It's the hawk!" Wolfkit announced, craning his head to look up at the sky.. "Look how small it is!" he laughed. "Let's catch it!" The long-furred gray kit got into a sloppy hunting crouch, his amber eyes screwed up in concentration.

"Come get me hawk!" he taunted. "I'm gonna catch you and you'll be nothing but prey!" If the hawk took any offense, it didn't show, but it dove down at the kits, it's piercing yellow stare fixed on them. Stormkit screamed in terror and darted out of the way. Wolfkit yelled, realizing how big the bird really was and tried to run, but tripped on his paws. As for Willowkit, she stood stock still in terror, her blue eyes glazed over in fear. The hawk let out an ear-piercing screech that turned Stormkit's limbs into sticks of numbness. She couldn't move. She could only watch the scene in front of her eyes slowly replay again and again in her mind.

The hawk had dived down and tried to latch onto both Willowkit and Wolfkit, but the two kits were too much weight for it to carry. It could only lift a few feet off the ground before Wolfkit slid from its talons, blood splattering the sand. He moaned in pain, clutching his eye, but the only thing Stormkit could see was Willowkit locked in the bird's grasp, her paws flailing, screaming and crying. " _Stormkit! Wolfkit!"_ she screeched. " _Help me!"_

Stormkit felt her throat closing. Her stomach clenched, tears rolled down her face. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't see. Everything was a blur. She could hear more screaming and crying, mixed in with yelling, before everything darkened and she fell into a dark abyss.

 **Chapter 2**

Wolfkit moaned softly. The racking pain in his eye, the blurred colors, the darkness. . . He could hear words, ugly words, then a soft, soothing voice that made him relax. It felt. . . familiar. The smell of the cat was familiar too. It was like honeysuckle mixed with new-leaf wind. It made him feel safe. He squirmed in the moss nest and sank into a comfortable sleep.

Then the dreams came.

A dazzling, silky-furred she-cat with piercing blue eyes sat on a rock in a dark, dank forest. Her fluffy, silvery tail was wrapped neatly around her paws. Her eyes reminded Wolfkit of the time Amberfeather told him about snow. It was cold, crystally, and shined bitterly.

"Poor, poor, Wolfkit," she purred. "Scarred for life." Her voice was so calm and gentle, but with a touch of emotion. Wolfkit cocked his head, puzzled, before light shattered and a gust of wind swept the darkness away. Wolfkit squinted his eyes, peering through the light. He saw the faint outline of a grayish white tom. His blue eyes glimmered with sympathy. Wolfkit couldn't help but notice that his ear was torn; a trait Amberfeather often used to describe her deceased mate, Skystar.

"Find the stone, young Wolfkit," the cat rumbled, his voice wrapping around Wolfkit as if it were protecting him. "It is the only way to save what you love."

Wolfkit gasped as pain blinded him. He caught brief glimpses that he didn't understand: Dapplefeather standing over a brown and white she-cat with her throat torn, blood spilling from the wound. The same brown and white she-cat nuzzling a gray and black tom. Willowkit screaming, dangling from the hawk's talons.

"NOOOOOOO!" The moment Wolfkit's eyes shot open, he felt a searing pain, red-hot, in one of them.

"Close your eyes, young one." The voice was gentle and kind, and the scent was familiar, but these things did not soothe the pain as it did with the beautiful she-cat from his dream.

"What will happen to him?" asked a weak voice from behind him.

"It's not infected, luckily," the gentle voice meowed. "But the hawk scratched his eye. He won't be able to see out of it ever again."

"You mean he'll be blind?" Wolfkit recognized his sister's voice. "He won't be able to see?"

"He will," the voice said reassuringly. "Just not out of one eye."

"This is all my fault!" Stormkit wailed. "I should've stopped him from going out of camp. Then, Willowkit wouldn't be. . ." Her voice trailed off as a wave of sobs spilled from her mouth.

"Shh," the voice whispered. "It's all right."

Wolfkit tried to speak, to comfort his sister, to do _anything._ But the words were stuck in his throat. He curled up into a tight ball, tears forming at the corner of his eyes.

"Dear, are you sure you got those wounds from a hawk?"

There was a pause. "Y-yes," said Stormkit shakily. "Of course. What else?"

 _That's strange,_ thought Wolfkit. _I don't remember Stormkit getting hurt. But then,_ he thought sadly, _there's probably a lot of things I don't remember._

"Are you sure, Stormkit?" the gentle voice asked once more. "I don't think a hawk could've done this."

"I-I'm sure," she repeated with the same shakiness.

The next several days were the same. Stormkit had recovered and was able to leave, but she stayed by Wolfkit's side everyday. The pain in the gray tom's eye faded, and he was able to open his eyes and walk around. He seemed fully recovered, but the medicine cat, whom Wolfkit learned was named Maplebreeze, wanted to keep him in her care just in case.

It was a lovely green-leaf day, but Wolfkit was getting antsy. He'd tried to persuade Maplebreeze to let him see his reflection, but she wouldn't budge. Maybe he'd get more out of his sister.

"What do I look like?" Wolfkit asked as they sat at the entrance of the den, taking in the sights of the camp. Stormkit winced, her violet eyes darting around violently. She swiftly tried to change the subject.

"Want to play moss-ball?" she asked. "You try to score it-"

"What do I look like?" Wolfkit repeated. "Everytime someone comes in and sees me, they look away. Don't lie to me, Stormkit."

Stormkit hesitated, then sighed. "Fine." She led him to a pool of water in the back of the den. Wolfkit peered at the reflection in the rippling puddle. What he saw almost made him regret looking.

 _No,_ he thought in horror. _This can't be me._

His left eye had been replaced by a long, jagged line of pink and white tissue. The scar went from the top of where his eye had been to the tip of his nose. He covered his face with his paws and wailed.

"Wolfkit," Stormkit said softly. "It's okay." She wrapped her tail around his shoulders. "You'll always be my brother, no matter what you look like." She gave him a comforting smile.

"Thanks, Stormkit," he sniffled. He turned away from the pool. "Let's go back to the nursery."

When the two siblings returned to the bramble den, they were met with gasps of shock and murmurs.

"What are you doing in here?!" Dapplefeather screeched. "Get out, _murderers!"_

"Dapplefeather, please!" Mintsplash protested. "It's not their-"

"Of course it's their fault!" Dapplefeather retorted bitterly. "If it weren't for them, Willowkit would still be alive!" Her voice cracked with sorrow.

"But they are your kits as well," Shinefur said softly. "You have to take care of them." Dapplefeather glared at the young queen.

"I suppose that if Wrenkit was killed because of Ashkit and Darkkit, you'd still love them," she replied scornfully. "These are not my kits. They never _have_ been." Mintsplash and Shinefur looked appalled at Dapplefeather's response. "I will be returning to the warriors' den tonight," she continued. "And that's final!" Casting a final loathing glare at her two disowned kits, the calico queen stormed out of the nursery.

Mintsplash padded over the two frightened kits and wrapped her thick, fluffy tail around them.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, her pale green eyes sympathetic. "If you want, you can share Ivykit and Oakkit's nest."

"No," said Stormkit softly, trembling. "I'm fine."

 _Why is Stormkit acting so scared?_ thought Wolfkit. _Dapplefeather never hurt anyone._

Mintsplash pulled Stormkit's small, trembling body closer to hers and licked her gently on the head, as if the kit were a delicate flower whose petals would fall off if she wasn't careful.

That night, Wolfkit slept comfortably in the nursery, pressed up against Ivykit and Oakkit's sleeping bodies as his sister slept alone. Everything seemed okay. But when he closed his eyes, the dreams came again.

 **Chapter 4**

Stormkit looked, shaking all over, at her brother's limp form. _What just happened?_ she thought. He couldn't be dead. . . could he? She couldn't have lost both of her siblings in the same day?

Stormkit heard her brother's uneven, ragged breathing and relief washed all over her. _He's not dead,_ she thought. _But he needs help,_ she thought. She stumbled out of the clearing and into the thick undergrowth, swatting at the branches and vines that seemed to spring up from out of nowhere. She burst into a run, determined to get back to camp, before realizing she was lost. The whole terrain was different to her. Where was she? Stormkit lifted her nose to the air, but all she could smell were her tears.

Suddenly, she felt a presence around her.

" _Don't fret, little one,"_ it whispered. Stormkit felt her fear erase and a calm, soothing feeling overtook her. But that feeling quickly disappeared when Dapplefeather, Sprucebranch, and Crowclaw burst through the bushes, their fur bristling.

"Stormkit!" Dapplefeather gasped. "Where's Willowkit and your brother?"

"G-gone," was all she managed to whisper. She couldn't comprehend what had just happened. She felt herself start shaking violently.

"Gone?" spat Dapplefeather, fur beginning to bristle. "What do you mean gone?"

"Wolfkit - he's alive," she said softly. "He's. . . hurt."

"And Willowkit?" she pushed, her eyes wild.

"G-gone," Stormkit repeated, her voice scarcely above a whisper. "She was taken by the hawk."

Dapplefeather's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed down into icy green slits.

"And you mean to tell me," she hissed, her voice dangerously soft, "that you lead my daughter into danger, and now she's dead?" Stormkit nodded, hearing her blood pumping through her ears.

Dapplefeather let out a screech of fury, and before she knew what was going on, the little kit felt a painful blow on her cheek, and another blow on her shoulder. Dapplefeather was clawing at her, screeching and hissing in fury. "You murderer!" she yowled. "You _KILLED_ HER!"

Just when Stormkit felt she was in so much pain she would die, Dapplefeather stopped, sitting down, her tail curled neatly over her paws, her eyes blazing.

"If you _ever,_ " she hissed softly, "speak of this to _anyone,_ you might just find that, by some tragic accident, a fox, or perhaps a badger, happened to slit your throat."

Dapplefeather then stood up, and walked away, with Crowclaw and Sprucebranch roaring with laughter in her wake.

 _This is it,_ thought Stormkit. _I am going to bleed to death here. Maybe Wolfkit will be okay_. . . Suddenly, a warm, sweet scent wafted through the air.

"Do not fear," said a gentle voice. Stormkit felt herself be lifted off the ground, being carried, almost weightlessly back in the direction of camp. The nameless savior dropped her off at the entrance of camp.

"I will go back for your brother," said the same voice and Stormkit felt the warm, familiar scent leave her. _Don't go!_ she thought, then closed her eyes, feeling the little energy she had left drain away from her.

Stormkit opened her eyes. She was in an unfamiliar place, a hollowed out, huge, dead stump of an ancient, huge tree. A brown she-cat with white markings was sitting beside her, green eyes watching closely.

"Hello, young one," she said softly. Her voice was gentle and kind.

"Wolfkit-" she started, and then stopped. Her voice was surprisingly weak.

"He is all right," the she-cat replied soothingly. "Here. Eat this." She placed a sprig of small leaves in front of her nose. Stormkit sniffed it curiously. It had a sharp, yet calming scent.

"It's thyme," the brown she-cat explained. "It will help with your shock." A rush of memories suddenly poured into Stormkit as she recalled the incident. Tears sprung up in the corners of her eyes. Before she could change her mind, she gobbled up the thyme. Almost immediately, her frayed nerves calmed and her mind settled.

"Who are you?" Stormkit managed to ask.

"I am Maplebreeze, ThunderClan's medicine cat," she replied. "I help heal injured or sick cats." She gestured around the den. "This is the medicine cat den, where I stored my herbs." Stormkit lifted her head and took in the neatly stacked piles of leaves and flowers kept in holes and crevices. The air smelled dusty and sharp. She coughed.

Maplebreeze pushed a bundle of soaked moss towards her. Stormkit gratefully lapped up the water, her dry throat eagerly welcoming the cool liquid.

"Your wounds aren't so bad," the medicine cat reported. "But Wolfkit. . ."

Wolfkit started shaking in his moss nest, jerking and twitching. Stormkit tried to get up, but her limbs wouldn't work. She flopped down in the moss nest, exhausted.

"Close your eyes, young one," Maplebreeze said calmly, padding over to the long-furred tom.

"What will happen to him?" Stormkit whispered.

"It's not infected, luckily," Maplebreeze replied. "But the hawk scratched his eye. He won't be able to see out of it ever again."

"You mean he'll be blind? He won't be able to see?" Stormkit mewed frantically.

"He will," the brown she-cat reassured her. "Just not out of one eye."

"This is all my fault!" Stormkit cried. "I should've stopped him from going out of camp. Then, Willowkit wouldn't be. . ." Her voice trailed off as sobs built up in her throat, threatening to spill out at any moment.

"Shh," Maplebreeze whispered. "It's all right." Then she frowned. "Dear, are you sure you got those wounds from a hawk?"

Stormkit hesitated. If she told the truth, Dapplefeather might kill her, or worse. "Y-yes," the gray kit replied, trembling. "Of course. What else?"

"Are you sure, Stormkit?" Maplebreeze asked again. "I don't think a hawk could've done this."

"I-I'm sure," she replied with the same shakiness. Maplebreeze watched her for a moment, frowning, then went to tend to her newest patient.

Stormkit couldn't believe what her brother looked like. His left eye was gone, covered by a long, jagged scar. Pink and white tissue lined the edges. It went from the top of where his eye had been to the tip of his nose. To spare him the pain, Stormkit avoided bringing Wolfkit outside when it rained and kept him away from the pool at the back of the den. She had recovered nicely, but refused to go back to the nursery. She couldn't spend another day with Dapplefeather breathing down her scruff, reminding her about the threat promising that her life only hung by a thread.

It was a quarter moon since the incident. Stormkit had managed to keep her brother away from any reflective surfaces.

It was a beautiful green-leaf day, almost half-a-moon until the two would be apprenticed. That is, if they were accepted to become apprentices. Stormkit and her brother were sitting at the mouth of the medicine cat den, watching the Clan mill around. Apprentices and their mentors went out to train. Patrol came back with mouthfuls of prey. Stormkit lifted her nose, her eyes shining as she smelled her favorite prey: vole.

"What do I look like?" Wolfkit asked abruptly. Stormkit winced, caught off guard. Her violet eyes darted around, trying to search for an answer.

"Want to play moss-ball?" she blurted. "You try to score it-"

"What do I look like?" Wolfkit repeated. "Everytime someone comes in and sees me, they look away. Don't lie to me, Stormkit."

Stormkit took a deep breath, then sighed. "Fine." She slowly padded to the pool of water in the back of the den, her scarred brother following. Wolfkit peered at the reflection in the rippling puddle. As her brother peered at his reflection, Stormkit prayed to StarClan that he accept what he looked like. The long-furred kit wailed into his paws.

"Wolfkit," Stormkit said quietly. "It's okay." She wrapped her fluffy tail around his shoulders. "You'll always be my brother, no matter what you look like." She gave him a comforting but strained smile.

"Thanks, Stormkit," he sniffled. He turned away from the pool. "Let's go back to the nursery." As much as Stormkit didn't want to, she reluctantly followed her brother into the bramble den. When the two siblings padded inside, they were met with gasps of shock and murmurs.

"What are you doing in here?!" Dapplefeather screeched, her unsheathed claws digging into the ground. "Get out, _murderers!"_

"Dapplefeather, please!" Mintsplash scolded. "It's not their-"

"Of course it's their fault!" Dapplefeather exclaimed angrily. "If it weren't for them, Willowkit would still be alive!"

"But they are your kits as well," Shinefur said gently. "You have to take care of them." Dapplefeather glared at the golden-furred queen.

"I suppose that if Wrenkit was killed because of Ashkit and Darkkit, you'd still love them," she replied scornfully. "These are not my kits. They never _have_ been."

 _Of course we aren't your kits,_ Stormkit thought bitterly. _All you cared about was Willowkit. Willowkit, Willowkit, Willowkit._

"I will be returning to the warriors' den tonight," the calico queen continued. "And that's final!" The piercing glare she directed at the two siblings was enough to make Stormkit shiver in fear. The queen stormed out of the nursery.

Mintsplash padded over them and wrapped her thick, fluffy tail around them. It was a motherly gesture, but Stormkit felt as if she could never trust anyone again.

"I'm sorry," the gray queen said sympathetically. "If you want, you can share Ivykit and Oakkit's nest."

"No," Stormkit replied, trembling. She couldn't accept anything from this cat. She didn't deserve it. "I'm fine."

Mintsplash pulled Stormkit close to her and licked her gently on the head. Stormkit wanted to pull away, but she felt safe and comforted. _Will I ever feel like this again?_

That night, Stormkit curled up in her own moss nest, slightly cold without Wolfkit and Willowkit's bodies to keep her warm. _Willowkit,_ she thought. _My sister, I'm sorry._

Then, so quietly, she almost missed it, a voice whispered back, _I'm sorry, too._ A rush of tiredness passed through the gray she-kit, and she fell asleep, tears silently falling down her face.

 **Chapter 5**

Wolfkit blinked both of his eyes open. No jolt of pain came. No side of his vision was black and empty. _My eye is healed!_ he thought excitedly. He stood up, but still, there was nothing except black for as far as he could see.

 _Where am I?_ he thought. _Am I completely blind now? Is that why I can only see black?_

"Don't fret, young one." Wolfkit turned his head. There sat the beautiful silvery cat. _I've seen her before,_ he realized. Her cold, calculating blue eyes seemed to be examining him, scanning for something.

"Wh-Who are you?" Wolfkit ventured.

"My name is not important to you," the she-cat replied silkily. "You will know it when the time is right, young Wolkit."

"How do you know my name?" Wolfkit asked.

The cat blinked her icy blue eyes. "Don't ask so many questions," she warned. "If you want to survive, keep your muzzle shut."

Wolfkit frowned, perplexed. There were so many questions he had. Where was he? Why was he here? Was she a StarClan cat from Ambefeather's tales?

"Now," she purred, flicking her thick tail from side to side, "it is time for me to question you. Do you love your sister?"

"Do I- what?" he said, alarmed. "O-of course!"  
"Interesting." The beautiful she-cat looked troubled. "Did your mother seem to enjoy her company?"

"Er, no," he said softly. "She didn't really seem to enjoy any of our companies."  
She smiled. "Thank you, Wolfkit," she purred. "And I suggest you listen to what is about to happen."

All of a sudden, she was gone, and a new cat was sitting in her place. _Skystar!_ Wolfkit thought excitedly.

"Wolfkit," he rumbled. His voice was deep and booming, like thunder, yet somehow gentle. "I need you to listen very, _very_ closely to what I am about to tell you. Can you do that?" Wolfkit nodded vigorously. A StarClan cat, talking to him!  
Once again, there was a flash of light. He was standing in a dark, thicketed forest, spongy pine needles under his paws. He felt himself walk forward, but didn't know why. It was as if his paws were moving all on their own.

Beside him was a slender, wiry brown she-cat. "Think it's over there, Wolfpaw?" she asked.

"I hope so," he replied without thinking. _What am I looking for?_ he thought, confused.

All of a sudden, the she-cat stopped dead in her tracks. "Wolfpaw," she said excitedly, her voice hardly more than a whisper. "It's here!"

In front of them was a deep gray stone, glowing faintly, nestled safely in the middle of what looked like a thicket bush.

With another blinding flash, Wolfkit was back in the endless black space, with Skystar watching him closely. "Find the stones, Wolfkit," he said softly. "You're our only hope." He flicked his tail. "You shall meet with the others on the riverbank near Twolegplace. Then," he went on, "you must travel to the jagged crack, across the rushing brook, through the thorny forest, and pass the lush swamp to find moor, rose, clear, and marsh." Then, he was gone, and Wolfkit opened his eyes to find himself nestled between Ivykit and Oakkit, the pale morning light shining into the nursery. He frowned.

 _What was that all about?_ he wondered.

"Get out of my way!" Dapplefeather snapped. A sparrow and a vole swung from her jaws. Wolfkit's mouth watered at the scent of the prey, but he shook it off. He watched as she dropped off the prey at the prey pile and padded over to her mate, Sunstar. The calico she-cat muttered a few things in the golden tabby's ear. The leader nodded in agreement. Wolfkit gulped in fear as Sunstar made his way to the top of the High Rock, his paws making soft _thuds_ in the stone.

 _Stone,_ Wolfkit remembered. His thoughts drifted back to the dream he had. What did Skystar mean? What kind of stones? Who was that she-cat?

"All cats old enough to fight in battles gather beneath the High Rock!" Sunstar yowled, his golden fur gleaming against the morning light. Cats, curious, hesitantly gathered beneath the rock.

"It has been brought to my attention that we have two misbehaved kits," the leader spoke. "Wolfkit, Stormkit, come forward." Wolfkit gulped in surprise and nervousness. What would happen to them?

Someone shoved him from behind. Wolfkit glanced behind him and saw Sprucebranch's hard blue gaze glare at him.

"Go on," she hissed. Wolfkit began to pad forward, his legs trembling. He could feel every cat's gaze on him, burning holes in his pelt. He felt his sister walking behind him.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Sunstar meowed. "These two kits have done the unimaginable. They went outside of camp when they shouldn't have, taking their sister, Willowkit, with them. Little did they know, a hawk was patrolling the skies. It took young Willowkit and left Wolfkit scarred for life." His green eyes flashed.

"However," he pressed on, "I do believe that these two kits still deserve the right to be apprenticed. Though they messed up gravely, they deserve redemption. As my children, I want them to grow up to be great warriors." Sunstar turned to face the two kits.

"Wolfkit," he boomed, his voice echoing across camp. "Do you promise to defend your Clan and honor your leader, even at the cost of your life?"

"I-I do, Sunstar," the long-haired kit stammered. He couldn't believe it! They were becoming apprentices!

"Good," he said silkily. "From this day forward, you shall be named Wolfpaw. Talonclaw," he said, turning to the scarred tabby warrior, "you have trained long and hard to become a skilled hunter and fighter. Pass these skills down onto this young apprentice." Talonclaw padded forward and dipped his head.

"Touch my nose," he hissed to Wolfpaw through gritted teeth. Wolfpaw tapped his pink nose to his scarred one.

"Stormkit," Sunstar continued shortly. "You will now be known as Stormpaw. Maplebreeze will be your mentor."

Wolfkit gasped. _Maplebreeze?_ he thought. _Isn't she the medicine cat?_

 **Chapter 6**

Stormkit was sitting in an open, sunny meadow. She tasted the air. _A mouse!_ She thought excitedly. Sure enough, she heard a scuffling sound from not too far away. She dropped into a crouch she'd practiced in the nursery. She crept forward, the mouse stopping in its tracks to nibble on a seed. _Just think,_ she thought, _what Dapplefeather will think when I catch a mouse!_

Keeping her violet gaze trained on the rodent, Stormkit carefully put one paw in front of the other, silently and slowly creeping forward. The mouse was still oblivious to her existence. Just as she was about to pounce, the mouse skittered away.

"Fox-dung!" Stormkit cursed, picking up her pace to chase after it. As she pursued it, the sunny field disappeared into a dark, shadowy forest. Eerie creaks and chirps came seemed to come from the darkness. Stormkit slowed her pace, jerking her head from side to side, searching for an exit. But everywhere she looked, there were only rustling trees with drooping, dead leaves hanging off branches.

"Stormkit," a silky smooth voice said. Stormkit whipped around. There, sitting on a log that hadn't been there before, was a stunning, slender she-cat with shiny, silver fur, slightly tinted blue. Her pale, clear blue eyes were like twin pools of water. Stormkit swallowed hard.

"Who are you?" she demanded, trying to conceal the quivering in her voice. "Where am I?"

The she-cat didn't speak. Her narrow, thoughtful gaze seemed to be analyzing her. Stormkit wrapped her tail closer to her.

"Who are you?" Stormkit repeated.

The she-cat smirked coldly. "I am a StarClan cat."

"StarClan?" Stormkit was puzzled. She didn't know StarClan was so. . . _dark._ "What's your name then?"

The silver cat swept her tail over the ground. "Unimportant." She stared right into Stormkit's eyes, blue against violet.

"Oh, sweetie," she purred, wrapping her tail around Stormkit's dark gray body. "You are so brave. . ."

"Brave? What do you mean?" Stormkit frowned, puzzled.

"You braved the blows from Dapplefeather when it was your brother's idea to chase the hawk," she purred. "If that's not bravery, I don't know what is."

Stormkit blinked. She didn't think that was bravery; she just did what anyone else would've done!  
"I don't think-"

"Oh, so modest," she said gently. "You will make a great warrior someday." Suddenly, her eyes turned cold, like blue blocks of ice. "Listen, sweetie. Soon, you will be asked to uncover a great power. Power beyond your wildest dreams. You will aid and assist, but when the time comes," she paused, flicking her thick tail, "you must take the power for yourself."

"What kind of power? Why should I take it for myself?" Stormkit asked, but the dream was already fading. The last glimpse she saw was the silver cat smiling coldly at her before bright sunlight pierced her vision.

Stormkit padded into the medicine cat den, her oncoming apprenticeship hardly on her mind. She needed to find out what the dream meant! And who better to figure out what StarClan's message was than the medicine cat?

The tangy, strong smell of herbs suffocated the clean, fresh air. Maplebreeze looked up from the tansy she was sorting. "Ah, Stormkit," she said with a tired smile. "What can I do for you?"

Stormkit shifted the earth under her paws. Should she tell Maplebreeze about the dream?

"If you have something you want to say," meowed Maplebreeze gently, as if reading Stormkit's mind, "you can tell me. You can trust me, I promise."

"I-I. . ." Stormkit's mouth felt dry as sand. She ducked her head. "Never mind."

Maplebreeze twitched an ear, doubt and concern practically rolling off her fur. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Stormkit shook her head. "Just. . . worried about my apprentice ceremony, I guess."

Maplebreeze smiled warmly. "I remember my apprentice ceremony like it was just yesterday." Her green eyes shone with nostalgia. "I had always had an interest in herbs, so Skystar decided to apprentice me to Blackspot, the medicine cat." She gave the gray kit a lick on the head. "You have nothing to worry about," Maplebreeze assured her gently.

Stormkit smiled gratefully at the she-cat's gentle words. Maplebreeze was being so nice to her! _Maybe,_ she thought, _I could tell her about the dream?_ Then, however, she remembered the images of Dapplefeather delivering painful blows to her, and she winced at the memory. _If I tell her, she might tell Dapplefeather, which could make her mad!_ she thought. _I won't tell her,_ she decided, and nodded silently to herself as Maplebreeze returned to sorting her herbs.

 _But then,_ said a voice in her head, _how will you find out what the dream means? Only medicine cats can decipher messages from StarClan!_ she thought, flicking her tail worriedly.

 _But,_ she thought, flicking her tail still more rapidly, _if I become a medicine cat, I can decipher what the dream meant!_ She sighed, seeing images of defending her Clan, fighting for her Clan, catching prey, and making her father and leader, Sunstar, proud of her slipping away from her. _This is for the greater good. It has to be done,_ she begrudgingly decided.

"M-Maplebreeze," she said, a little shakily, realizing this was her final decision, "I-I've decided I want to be your apprentice."

Maplebreeze looked up from her herbs, looking a little surprised and taken aback. "What? Oh, o-of course! I thought you wanted to be a warrior!" The brown and white she-cat looked flustered. "What caused the change of heart?"

Stormkit shrugged, still not comfortable with telling the medicine cat about her dream. Maplebreeze smiled, her eyes filling with joy and concealed uncertainty. "Okay, well, I'll tell Sunstar!" She got up, padding away, a new spring in her step.

 **Chapter 7**

The newly named Stormpaw touched her pink nose to Maplebreeze's, feeling confident this was the right decision. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Wolfpaw, his amber eye widened in shock. Stormpaw flicked an ear. _Later,_ it meant. Wolfpaw nodded in acceptance and padded after his mentor.

"Make yourself a nest in the apprentices' den," Maplebreeze told her. "We'll go out for herbs later." She gave the gray apprentice a flick on the shoulder before padding back to her den. Stormpaw gulped as her gaze shifted over to the apprentices' den, a stone cave with multiple cracks filled with vines and brambles to shed the rain. She had never been inside the den before. As a kit, the other apprentices intimidated her. They seemed so big and tough. She took a deep breath and padded inside, her paws slightly trembling.

Two toms were wrestling inside the den. Though they weren't using claws, the looks of anger and rage in their eyes made it look like they wanted to rip each other apart. One tom was very dark brown with fiery yellow eyes, the other muscular with brown tabby stripes and blue eyes like cold slits of ice. Beside them, a gray tabby she-cat was watching, a disdainful air surrounding her.

Stormpaw stood there in the entrance, her paws seemingly stuck to the floor. The she-cat turned her eyes towards her, then cleared her throat.

"Bramblepaw, Bluepaw," she said, warning in her tone. "The newbie's here." The two toms stopped their scuffling, their fur caked with dust and bits of moss.

"Truce?" the brown tom panted.

"Truce," the tabby tom grunted, swishing his tail. The two toms' gaze slide towards Stormpaw. She felt like shrinking inside her pelt as the three apprentices looked at her.

"Stormpaw, am I right?" The she-cat drew her tongue over her paw. "My name's Rainpaw. That's Bramblepaw," she nodded to the dark brown tom, "and Bluepaw." The pale brown tom nodded stiffly. "Where's your brother? Wolfpaw, isn't it?"

"Training." Stormpaw's voice was barely above a whisper. She shifted her weight from paw to paw, her violet eyes fixed on a rock on the floor. "Um, sorry if I interrupted anything."

"No, no, it's fine," Bluepaw spoke up. "Want me to give you a tour of the den?" His gaze was warm now, not like the way it had been while fighting. Rather like a warm puddle of water on a Newleaf day.

"Honestly, Bluepaw," Rainpaw sniffed. "I'm sure the newbie can find her way around." Stormpaw flinched at the nickname. _I have a name, you know!_

"It's not like Shimmersplash didn't show you around when you first came," Bluepaw shot back. "C'mon, Stormpaw. Let's get some moss for your nest." He led her out of the suffocating den and into the light.

"Don't worry about Rainpaw," Bluepaw meowed. "She's always acting like a queen that needs to be pampered." Stormpaw felt as if there was sand stuck in her throat. She couldn't say a word.

"Bramblepaw's pretty nice," the apprentice continued. "Just don't mess with his food. You'll have mouse-bile and fire ants in your nest for a moon!" He purred softly. Suddenly it stopped. "And then there's Stonepaw," he said softly. "He's the one you have to avoid. He'll make mouse-meat out of any cat who opposes him." Stormpaw shivered despite the bright sunlight.

Bluepaw showed her the moss storages and helped her pick the softest, plushest moss. They went back to the apprentices' den; Rainpaw and Bramblepaw had left to train, and made a tidy, cozy nest in the corner. They made one for Wolfpaw right next to hers.

"Bluepaw!" Halftail called. "Training!" Bluepaw's ear twitched.

"I gotta go," he said. "Nice meeting you, Stormpaw."

"Thank you," Stormpaw said softly. She wasn't sure if Bluepaw heard her, because the next moment he had darted out of the den.

She sat down on her moss bed. It was soft and wonderful, yet felt cold and lonely. As a kit, she had slept with her siblings. Now, though, now she couldn't feel anyone close to her, anyone breathing softly against her side. She felt completely alone.

"Stormpaw!" Stormpaw lifted her head from her paws. She must have dozed off, because now there was a bright, sunny glow outside. Wolfpaw was standing over her, tail flicking excitedly. "Maplebreeze says to rest up and get accompanied today, and that training starts tomorrow!" Stormpaw nodded, not paying attention. She saw Bluepaw sitting in his nest, observing Rainpaw and Stonepaw tussle over whether or not Rainpaw stole a scrap of moss from his nest. Bluepaw was sitting in a stately manner, tail wrapped neatly around his paws, blue eyes focused on the two quarreling apprentices.


End file.
